San Jose city officials are addressing the issue of 'vanlords'—individuals who rent inoperable RVs to homeless residents. Mayor Mahan and other council members are analyzing policies to restrict such rentals, aiming to protect vulnerable individuals from unsafe living conditions. Concerns were raised regarding the manipulative practices of bad actors exploiting the unsheltered, while some residents argue that restricting RV rentals criminalizes homelessness and ignores the root cause: the shortage of affordable housing. Current statistics show there are few known offenders, but the broader scope of the problem remains unclear.
We know there are bad actors out there that put dilapidated, nonworking van trailers or RVs out there, and then manipulate our unsheltered residents to rent these places in an unsafe conditions, without any preparation for biohazard or hazardous waste or even a fire hazard.
By restricting the sale, rental or even transfer of RVs, you're targeting one of the last remaining options for shelter that unhoused individuals can afford. The true issue is a lack of affordable housing.
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