Palo Alto RV parking enforcement up, residents still unhappy - San Jose Spotlight

"The committee is exploring a parking permit pilot program and a regional convention to address the issue. The permit program would set aside certain streets throughout the city as places where oversized vehicles could park overnight, excluding residential zones. The committee discussed eligibility requirements for permit seekers and a requirement that participants be good neighbors and actively seek permanent housing."

"Reckdahl said the biggest advantage is that the program would introduce a cap on the number of parked RVs in Palo Alto, while giving the city leverage to root out "bad actors." The number of RVs parked on Palo Alto streets had doubled between 2023 and 2025, according to staff, with most of the city's roughly 400 unhoused individuals living in vehicles."

"Mayor Vicki Veenker noted that commercial areas in south Palo Alto are host to many more RVs than other parts of the city. Many are parked on commercial blocks along East Meadow Circle and San Antonio Road, in the Ventura neighborhood and around Embarcadero Road, near the Baylands."

Palo Alto's City Council oversized vehicle ad hoc committee, established in October, is addressing widespread RV parking issues through multiple approaches. The committee proposes a parking permit pilot program designating certain non-residential streets for overnight RV parking, with eligibility requirements emphasizing good neighbor conduct and permanent housing pursuit. The program would cap RV numbers and provide enforcement leverage against problematic parkers. Regional collaboration and conventions are also being explored. RV populations doubled between 2023 and 2025, with approximately 400 unhoused individuals living in vehicles, concentrated in commercial areas like East Meadow Circle and San Antonio Road. Some council members expressed concerns about disproportionate impacts on specific neighborhoods.

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