San Jose

San Jose's RV problem: Where are people going when forced to move?

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As San Jose beings taking taking action to clear certain areas of recreational vehicles, NBC Bay Area wanted to find out where those people are going.

Turns out many are going to nearby neighborhoods and triggering old concerns in new places.

San Jose is focusing on 30 sites near schools and neighborhoods known for having people living in RVs for months. Crews nearly a month ago started placing no-parking signs along specific streets plagued by RVs parks for an extended amount of time.

The signs, however, do not say where the people living in RVs should go instead.

A site near Chenowyth Park was the first to get the warning and was cleared out when NBC Bay Area checked on Friday. But NBC Bay Area found a handful of people ended up moving just a couple miles away.

Some neighbors are not thrilled about it and have complained to the city. Others said they are not bothered.

"My main concern is keeping it clean and making sure nothing catches on fire because we do have homes here and you see the fences are real close," resident Mandeep Sandhu said.

One place some of the RV dwellers can eventually move to is a safe RV parking site near the flea market. It is expected to host 85 vehicles when it opens later this month.

But the city admits it is not a magic bullet. And homeless advocate Gail Osmer said the project -- first announced a year and a half ago -- is taking too long to open.

"It should have been open a year ago. That's the truth," Osmer said. "Let's get these open. Let's get them going. Let's get people into it."

As San Jose beings taking taking action to clear certain areas of recreational vehicles, NBC Bay Area wanted to find out where those people are going. Ian Cull reports.

The mayor even admits the pilot program establishing tow-away zones is not a perfect solution, but said it is better than nothing and the current situation is not sustainable.

"The housed neighbors in those areas where they’ve had RVs parked for months at a time, as the mayor has previously pointed out some of them more than a year, they deserve some relief," said Colin Heyne with the San Jose Department of Transportation.

The city is now working its way through the fourth site of 30 total.

"It’s not a magic wand that’s going to solve homelessness or even RV congregations in San Jose," Heyne said. "It was intended by our city council to circulate these vehicles."

But as more people in RVs are told to move somewhere else, do not be surprised if their first solution is to find another nearby neighborhood until there is a more permanent place to stay.

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