Every community in California has felt the pain and pressure of the housing crisis.
Mountain View, while one of the wealthiest cities in the country, is no exception. Families and working-class people have been priced out by the climbing costs. They’ve turned to living in RVs to stay sheltered and rooted in the community they’ve called home for years (for some, decades). Instead of working with RV residents and unhoused people to come up with long-term permanent solutions to the housing crisis, Mountain View is trying to push them out with penalties and harassment. We’re suing on behalf of RV residents, fighting to stay in their homes.
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“I’ve lived in Mountain View for almost 20 years and have two kids who go to school here. This is my home,” said Celerina Navarro. “I was priced out of my apartment 6 years ago because of rent increases and I have lived in an RV since then. It’s hard to live every day knowing your home can be ticketed or towed. Every day you live in fear about your safety.”
The city ordinance, which will be enforced within the next couple weeks, bans RVs from parking on narrow streets and streets with bike lanes which include the large majority of streets in city limits. Mountain View police can begin towing vehicles once signage is installed, robbing residents of all their possessions and their homes. Fines for towing and impoundment will be issued to people who are using their income to eat, buy medicine, and take care of their basic needs.
Just because you’re houseless, doesn’t mean where you are living is not your home. People living in their RVs need to remain in their town for the same reason that anyone else does: to stay connected to family and friends, access local resources and health care, keep their job, and stay close to the schools their children attend. For people with disabilities, these networks can be especially critical to maintaining physical and mental health.
The ban unfairly impacts people with disabilities, Spanish-speaking families, and people of color, all of whom already experience homelessness at disproportionate rates. The ban has already and will continue to destabilize their ability to maintain their health and employment.
By filing this lawsuit, we hope to encourage the city to work with RV residents to find long-term housing solutions that are accessible based on an individuals’ disability-related needs. Everyone deserves dignity and respect. The RV ban strips residents of these basic human rights. We’re demanding the city take a more effective approach to the housing crisis, instead of punishing people experiencing housing instability.
