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LA County Supervisors Approve 'Vanlord' Resolution
RVs line the street in South Los Angeles.
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Heidi De Marco
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KHN
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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.
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“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.
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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
HOMELESSNESS FAQ
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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.
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