A ‘Vanlord’ Crackdown Could Be Coming To LA County Unincorporated Areas

L.A. County could be joining Los Angeles in looking at ways to crack down on so-called “vanlords” who rent out RVs for people to live in.

The proposal — up for a vote Tuesday by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors — would direct county staff to report back within 90 days on ideas to “curtail the selling, leasing, or renting” of RVs and oversized vessels along public streets.

Sometime after that, supervisors would have to vote separately on ordinances that would actually crack down on the practice, which has exploded in recent years as rents continue to skyrocket.

The move comes amid a massive increase in people living in RVs across the county — up 31% from 2020 to 2023, according to annual homeless counts.

Altogether, far more people live in RVs in L.A. County than in tents, according to the latest count.

Countywide, about 11,500 people are estimated to live in about 6,800 RVs.

There are a limited number of safe parking sites across the region where people can sleep in their cars and have access to case management and other services. But many of those sites don’t allow RVs.

As housing costs have soared across L.A., some property owners have turned to renting out yards and driveways. Over the summer, the Los Angeles Times reported that an empty lot in Sylmar used as a makeshift RV park prompted the L.A. city attorney’s office to file misdemeanor charges against the owner. Photos of the property show over a dozen RVs parked back to back, inches apart.

What parts of L.A. County could be affected?

Any action by L.A. County supervisors would apply to the county’s roughly 120 unincorporated areas, which together are home to about 1 million people. They include East Hollywood, Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights, Altadena and Marina del Rey.

What’s at stake?

People living in vehicles have said losing housing amid rising rents has left them with no options besides living in a vehicle or on the streets. At the same time, some business owners and nearby residents have complained that RV encampments present safety and health hazards, including fires from cooking or arson.

The county motion up for approval Tuesday was put forward by supervisors Holly Mitchell and Kathryn Barger. It’s similar to one the L.A. City Council approved in late August — proposed by Councilmember Traci Park — that explores a crackdown in the city of L.A.

How to follow along or submit public comment

The item is No. 9 on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, which is scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. It will be approved without discussion by the board as part of the “consent calendar,” unless a member of the public or a supervisor requests that it be heard separately.

If you’d like to submit a written comment, you can do so on this webpage. You can also call in starting at 9 a.m. to the number listed under “To Address the Board” on this page, or speak in person at the board’s hearing room by signing up at kiosks there before the item is called.