San Francisco police and the SFMTA are ramping up efforts to move the displaced RV community of families and children from their new location near the San Francisco Zoo.
On Thursday morning, RV residents anxiously watched as about a dozen police officers and SFMTA city workers posted 72-hour notices on their RVs.
“I got up to water the plants before my husband went to work,” said Veronica Cañas, 29. Out of fear of having her RV towed, Cañas stayed inside the vehicle with her two small children.
One RV resident, Jamilet Calderon, 43, had one of her RVs towed due to out-of-date registration. “I’m not going to go get it… it’s gone,” said Calderon, who scrambled to retrieve as many belongings as possible from the vehicle. “We bought that RV because we all can’t fit in mine—I’m left with a headache and trauma now—I haven’t slept well.” The RV housed her two kids, who were at work while city officials were citing RVs. Now, they will have to share Calderon’s remaining RV, which already houses her daughter and beloved pitbull.
City workers are enforcing a 72-hour parking restriction in the area, which, according to SFMTA spokesperson Erica Kato, is in effect citywide for areas that have no other parking limits or restrictions.
Several RVs were damaged during the initial move from Winston Drive to their new location, while others lack current registration.
The West Side Tenant Association has organized a GoFundMe page to support RV residents with vehicle registration costs and to pay for parking tickets. “Please donate to help with parking and registration costs so families can keep their homes,” reads the page.
“They took us out. They don’t want us there,” said Gio, who prefers to be identified by his first name. “The police came to say they don’t want us here anymore. They don’t want to see us here by Monday.”
