RV Homelessness Is On The Rise In California, And 'Vanlords' Are Cashing In

TL;DR

California's housing shortage has driven a surge in RV homelessness, creating an exploitative underground rental market with zero tenant protections.

Key Points

• 1.In Santa Clara County, vehicle homelessness more than doubled since the pandemic — from 18% of homeless individuals in 2019 to 37% in 2025, driven by a statewide shortage of up to 3.5 million housing units.
• 2."Vanlords" rent out RVs on city streets for $500–$600/month with no tenant protections, facing no legal consequences until San Jose banned the practice last year; renters can be evicted instantly with no recourse.
• 3.San Jose opened the Berryessa Safe Parking site, one of California's largest with 86 RV spaces, offering free parking, meals, showers, and weekly caseworkers — but it has a full waitlist.
• 4.San Francisco RV spots now cost up to $2,500/month just for the parking space, and Mayor Daniel Lurie enacted 2-hour parking limits for large vehicles citywide to clear street encampments while subsidized housing remains scarce.