Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
LA County Supervisors Approve 'Vanlord' Resolution

The L.A. County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution on Tuesday to come up with a plan to crack down on “vanlords” and the encampments they create by renting out RVs for people to live in.
L.A. County staff now have 90 days to report back with recommendations “to curtail the selling, leasing, or renting of Recreational Vehicles (RV) and oversized vessels in the public right-of-way.”
Supervisors asked that the report include a proposal for escalating fines and a plan for how those fines can be invested into the county’s homelessness initiative, specifically for the Pathway Home RV program.
Why it matters
Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who introduced the motion with Supervisor Kathyrn Barger, described it as a way of addressing “the phenomenon of vanlords.” Mitchell said her office receives dozens of calls and letters every day about RV encampments.
“We are going after the vanlords,” said Janice Hahn, the board chair.
Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said the practice takes advantage of the people they’re renting to.
“There’s no regulation for this practice or penalties for unscrupulous owners charging money for unsanitary and sometimes dangerous conditions,” Horvath said. “Vehicles are often unregistered, uninsured, and inoperable. There exists no recourse for the people living in those dangerous conditions.”
Why now
Supervisor Hilda Solis said when the city of L.A. cracked down in August, the RV encampments just moved into unincorporated areas. This resolution, and any further action from the board, would apply to the roughly 120 unincorporated areas in L.A. County.
Barger said the RV encampments are a public health and safety issue. She said there are major concerns about illegal dumping and the increased risk of fire from the propane inside some RVs.
The backstory
The number of people living in RVs across L.A. County has jumped 31% from 2020 to 2023, according to the annual homeless counts.
About 11,500 people are estimated to live in roughly 6,800 RVs.
Go deeper: …to learn more about L.A. County’s unhoused population
-
How did we get here? Who’s in charge of what? And where can people get help?
- Read answers to common questions around homelessness in the L.A. region.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.

-
USC says it’s reviewing the letter also sent to eight other prestigious schools nationwide. California's governor vowed that any California universities that sign will lose state funding.
-
Scientists say La Niña is likely, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a dry winter in Southern California.
-
According to a grand jury report the contractor took advantage of strained relations and political pressures to “force” the city to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to settle disputes.
-
Administrators say the bargaining units should be dismissed, or that they have no standing. One campus is going after the federal agency in charge of union activity.
-
The landslide is not connected to the greater Portuguese Bend landslide, city officials said.
-
Nom. Nom. Nom. The event destroyed the internet when it was first announced — and sold out in minutes.