People in RVs near the SF Zoo must leave or be towed
Because the city had put up no-parking signs along Zoo Road to make room for the month-long roadwork, residents in RVs were at risk of being towed.
SAN FRANCISCO – People living in mobile homes in a San Francisco neighborhood were given a deadline on Tuesday to leave the area.
This is the second time in just a few weeks that many residents have been forced to move.
The city has installed no-stopping signs along Zoo Road near the San Francisco Zoo to make way for the month-long road construction. Enforcement will begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
Many members of this RV community have just moved out of Winston Drive, two miles away, near Stonestown, after the city imposed new parking restrictions there in early August.
“When we got here, they were already here giving us tickets and warnings like we had to move,” said RV resident Victoria Oliveira. “They were here very early and towing cars.”
Oliveira, who has lived in the RV since last November, said less than half of the vehicles are still on Zoo Road.
She works as a bartender at Golden Gate Ferry. On Tuesday evening, she loaded up her car to leave.
She is one of a handful of people who have accepted the city’s offer of housing assistance in the form of a housing permit.
“For me it’s perfect, sounds perfect. The best part was that they were able to find a place for us and help us apply,” Oliveira said.
The mayor’s office told KTVU that social workers have repeatedly offered services and accommodations to people who parked on Zoo Road and previously on Winston Road.
The city has had some success, but not everyone has accepted the offers, including longtime San Franciscan Alburn Wilson.
“You know what, I really don’t have a plan right now because I’m so distracted by everything that’s going on,” he said.
Wilson said he didn’t want to give up his RV.
The mayor’s office added that RVs should not be parked near or in front of the nearby Pomeroy Recreation and Rehabilitation Center. Parking laws will be enforced to keep the public right of way open and safe for all.
The Coalition on Homelessness said in a statement to KTVU on Tuesday: “Evicting these families before they have found housing is not only inhumane, but counterproductive. The city must prioritize completing the housing process rather than rushing to take away homes from these vulnerable families.”
Oliveira said she plans to sign her lease on Wednesday and was told she could move in this Friday, but she’s not sure what she’ll do in the meantime.
She added that the city plans to cover most of her housing costs for at least a year, with the goal of eventually paying a larger share and becoming self-sufficient.
