Santa Cruz County RV Destruction Ordinance Continued to Future Meeting

Supervisor Manu Koenig and Supervisor Felipe Hernandez authored the so-called "abandoned vehicle" proposal and brought it to the Board.

Supervisor Justin Cummings noted that the ordinance lacked a "services and outreach plan" for people living in vehicles that are targeted for enforcement. Cummings also suggested splitting the proposal to more clearly differentiate between abandoned vehicles, vehicles people are living in, and oversized vehicles.

Included in the motion passed by Supervisors was direction to staff to update the language of the ordinance to require the 10-day tow notices be posted directly on the vehicle, and that they be printed in Spanish as well as English.

Supervisors also requested that:

* A presentation be made by the county’s Housing for Health Partnership describing the outreach that is conducted when authorities first approach illegally parked vehicles that may be inhabited

* Input be solicited from the City of Santa Cruz

* The Sheriff’s Office conduct a financial analysis that considers the likelihood that towing fees will increase, which the Sheriff's Office would be responsible for

Public input from homeless advocates and civil rights activists pertaining to the ordinance has been robust. After the August 19 meeting, Santa Cruz Homeless Union President Alicia Kuhl submitted a compromise proposal to the Board of Supervisors.

"I feel that a compromise can be found that can both mitigate these valid concerns about "abandoned" vehicles including RV'S and not be so broadly written that it changes the definition of "abandoned" in such an insane way and contributes to street level homelessness," Kuhl wrote.


[Top Photo: Supervisor Manu Koenig used this photo of an RV parked on Hardin Way in Soquel as part of his presentation to the Board in support of the abandoned vehicles proposal.]


Members of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors can be contacted at:
https://www.santacruzcountyca.gov/government/boardofsupervisors.aspx