The Western US has once again witnessed the wrath of wildfires. Blazes have devoured homes and upended lives, this time in California’s most populated city of Los Angeles. As a recent New York Times article revealed (January 13, 2025), many folks who lost their homes to the flames have taken refuge in vehicles. Over 90,000 people have been displaced so far, some joining over 20,000 vehicle residents already living on public streets across LA County (LAHSA 2024). Yet all too often, vehicle dwellers are driven away from their communities by towing laws, parking restrictions, and neighborhood complaints.

Displacement into a car, van, truck, trailer or recreational vehicle (RV) can feel like a descent into chaos. And yet, displaced residents often have no alternative accommodation. Emergency shelters fill up quickly. Hotel vouchers from disaster relief agencies are short-lived. Waiting lists for affordable housing can stretch on for years. Meanwhile, post-fire rebuilding drags on, complicated by insurance battles that may take months or years to resolve and the high cost of massive property clean-up and reconstruction. During this limbo, vehicle living often becomes the most viable solution.

Los Angeles is no stranger to this phenomenon. After major incidents like the 2018 Paradise Camp Fire and the 2020 Santa Cruz CZU Lightning Complex Fires in Northern California, a wave of people seeking refuge poured into urban areas, such as L.A., where housing was already at a crisis point. Instead of encountering supportive programs or well-designed safety nets, many of these individuals found themselves facing yet another displacement threat in the city’s crackdown on vehicle residents. In 2019, LA government authorities impounded nearly 10,000 vehicles in a single month, many of them due to enforcement of the 72-hour parking rule.

Municipal codes set strict limits on where, when, and how long vehicles can be parked. Los Angeles has expanded zones with overnight parking restrictions that target “oversized vehicles” like RVs – over 300 zones were in the council district ravaged by the Palisades Fire. Enforcement sweeps target those sheltering in vehicles, displacing them again and again. Overnight parking bans, aggressive towing, and punitive ticketing measures destabilize people who are already reeling from disaster. This pattern repeats itself every fire season: if the flames don’t drive you out, city policies just might.

In the short term, the survival of many Angelenos who lost their homes to fire hinges on the generosity of local communities, churches, and nonprofits. But as soon as the news cycle shifts and the city enforces parking restrictions, newly unhoused families will be branded as “illegal campers” and pushed out. They are, in essence, denied the right to remain in the very places they’ve lived, worked, and contributed. This is a longer, quieter trauma—a revolving door of parking tickets, towing, and punitive city ordinances that outlaw the very act of survival. In effect, one natural disaster begets another human-made one.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Civic leaders have a moral and economic responsibility to ensure these Angelenos aren’t treated like criminals. We’re calling on Los Angeles to institute a 3-tiered safety net for fire-displaced vehicle residents:

Safe Parking Zones: Immediately establish designated parking areas with 24/7 security and sanitation. Such zones must be large enough to accommodate individuals and families who need a stable place to stay for weeks—or even months—while recovering or searching for new housing. Employ displaced residents as security to ensure safety for all. All too often, vehicle residents are ushered to remote industrial zones, far from the social networks and resources they rely on. Locate these safe parking zones within the affected communities. This model allows families to keep kids in the same school district and stay connected with familiar neighbors and coworkers—essential anchors after such life-altering disasters.

Mobile Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Stations: Deploy mobile units offering free showers, toilets, laundry services, and potable water. These could be partially funded by federal disaster aid programs and operated by local nonprofits. Water, sanitation, and hygiene access is more than a convenience—these are essential for human health and dignity. It’s time Los Angeles capitalized on mobile hygiene units—trucks outfitted with showers, sinks, and toilets—to regularly visit safe parking zones.

Community Resource Hubs: Integrate food distribution, job placement, mental health services, and housing navigation into the safe parking zones. Place satellite offices from city departments like Housing and Economic Development on-site once a week, so vehicle residents can apply for assistance without having to drive across town. Local health clinics can provide pop-up medical stations a few days per week including services such as blood pressure checks, flu shots, and mental health counseling. Such integrated services not only keep vehicle residents healthy, but also open lines of communication to long-term resources.

The window for action is now, while discussions about wildfire prevention and relief efforts are front and center. We at the National Vehicle Residency Coalition call on city leaders, advocates, and residents to demand safe parking policies as a cornerstone of disaster planning. Creating these designated spaces for vehicle residents is both a moral and practical imperative. While recovery efforts focus on rebuilding homes and repairing infrastructure, we must also ensure that people have a safe place to go in the meantime—especially those who grew up, contributed, and built their lives in these communities. Uprooting them again repeats the disaster.

Our call is simple: Before the next round of sweeps, and certainly before the next fires ignite, we urge local leaders to establish secure parking areas and implement policies that recognize vehicle residency as a legitimate emergency shelter option.

The National Vehicle Residency Coalition
Graham Pruss, PhD, Executive Director
Tristia Bauman, JD, Cofounder
Ruth Tretter, PhD, RN, Research Director
Mary Feuer, Outreach Director
Linda Bryant, MBA, Program Director
Simon Han, Member
Sam Lutzker, Member

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READ THE DECISION

The Supreme Court decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson upholds that enforcing laws against public camping, potentially including those living in vehicles on public property, does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition of “cruel and unusual punishment.

In a pivotal decision, the Supreme Court has ruled in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson that enforcing laws against public camping does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. This ruling could have profound implications for the thousands of Americans who use vehicles as their primary residences, commonly known as vehicle residents or the vehicularly housed.

The case originated in Grants Pass, Oregon, a city where approximately 600 individuals are estimated to be homeless on any given day. Like many cities across the nation, Grants Pass has enacted ordinances that prohibit camping on public property, which can include sleeping in vehicles parked in public areas. The decision overturns lower court findings that deemed such enforcement as cruel and unusual, particularly when no alternative shelter options are available.

Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the majority, argued that the Eighth Amendment addresses the nature of punishments post-conviction and is not a suitable tool for dictating local policies on homelessness. The ruling asserts that the constitutionality of anti-camping laws hinges on their enforcement not being inherently cruel or unusual, rather than on the availability of shelter beds.

For those living in vehicles, this decision underscores a challenging reality: local ordinances that restrict sleeping or camping in public spaces can be enforced without constitutional conflict, even when individuals have nowhere else to go. This poses significant challenges for vehicle residents, who often turn to their cars or vans out of necessity, due to the lack of affordable housing or available shelter spaces.

The implications are significant and multifaceted:

1. Increased Enforcement: Cities may feel emboldened by this ruling to strictly enforce anti-camping laws, potentially leading to more citations, fines, or even arrests for vehicle residents.
2. Policy Shifts: Local governments might need to balance enforcement with the development of supportive policies that address the underlying issues of homelessness, such as increasing access to affordable housing or temporary shelters that accommodate vehicle residents.
3. Legal Challenges: While the Supreme Court has set a clear precedent, variations in local enforcement and the specifics of ordinances could still open the door for further legal challenges, particularly concerning the definition of “public space” and what constitutes “camping.”

This decision is a call to action for policymakers, advocates, and communities to engage in more nuanced discussions about homelessness and public space use. It also serves as a critical reminder of the complexities involved in addressing homelessness, pushing for a broader dialogue on how best to support those who, by circumstance, find themselves living in a vehicle.

As cities across the U.S. grapple with growing homeless populations and the visibility of vehicle residency, City of Grants Pass v. Johnson will likely serve as a key reference point in ongoing debates about the rights of the unhoused and the responsibilities of local governments. It’s a pivotal moment that could reshape the landscape of urban policy and civil rights for years to come.

What can we do?

GET ORGANIZED: The National Homelessness Law Center condemns the Supreme Court’s decision allowing cities to arrest or fine homeless individuals for sleeping in public, calling it expensive, counterproductive, and inhumane. READ THEIR FULL STATEMENT. The Center finds support in Justice Sotomayor’s dissent and urges the Biden administration and Congress to invest $356 billion annually in housing solutions, including universal rental assistance, public housing repair, the National Housing Trust Fund, eviction prevention, and supportive services. Emphasizing that housing justice is essential for racial justice, the Center calls for immediate action and invites supporters to join a mass organizing call at 10 AM PST/1 PM EST on Monday. Click here to RSVP.

John Threlkeld from the National Alliance to End Homelessness has sent an email encouraging support for a Congressional sign-on letter to the President, advocating for alternatives to the criminalization of homelessness. The effort is being led by Senator Wyden in the Senate and Representative Bonamici in the House. The letter emphasizes the ineffectiveness and negative consequences of criminalizing homelessness, such as worsening the crisis and adding barriers to stable housing and employment for those affected. Instead of focusing on punitive measures, the letter urges investment in housing, health care, and supportive services as more humane and cost-effective solutions. It aims to align stakeholders across various sectors by demonstrating a unified approach to ending homelessness through housing and support rather than criminal penalties.

To request that your Senators and Representatives sign on to the bicameral letter to the President in support of alternatives to criminalization of homelessness, an individual can take the following steps:

1. Identify Your Senators and Representatives: Find out who your Senators and Representatives are. You can use the U.S. Senate website and the U.S. House of Representatives website to locate them.
2. Prepare Your Request: Draft a concise and respectful message explaining why you believe your Senators and Representatives should support the letter. Highlight the key points from the email:
   • Criminalization of homelessness is ineffective and worsens the problem.
   • Alternatives such as investments in affordable housing, healthcare, and supportive services are more humane and cost-effective.
   • The letter is a bipartisan effort led by Senator Wyden and Representative Bonamici.
3. Include Contact Information for Senate and House Staff: In your message, mention the staff contacts provided in the email:
   • Senate effort is led by Senator Wyden and staffed by Madison Moskowitz (Madison_Moskowitz@wyden.senate.gov).
   • House effort is led by Representative Bonamici and staffed by Andrew Dunn (Andrew.Dunn@mail.house.gov).
4. Send Your Request: Use email, phone calls, or official contact forms on your Senators’ and Representatives’ websites to send your message.

Here is a sample email template:

Subject: Please Sign On to the Bicameral Letter to the President on Alternatives to Criminalization of Homelessness

Dear [Senator/Representative] [Last Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to request that you sign on to the bicameral letter to the President in support of proven and positive alternatives to the criminalization of homelessness.

The criminalization of homelessness, such as fining or arresting individuals for sleeping in public spaces when no adequate shelter is available, has been shown to be ineffective and counterproductive. Instead, investing in affordable housing, healthcare measures, and supportive services can provide more humane and cost-effective solutions to this pressing issue.

This bipartisan effort is led by Senator Wyden and Representative Bonamici, with staff contacts Madison Moskowitz (Madison_Moskowitz@wyden.senate.gov) and Andrew Dunn (Andrew.Dunn@mail.house.gov), respectively.

I urge you to join this important initiative to promote compassionate and effective policies for addressing homelessness.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP Code]
[Your Email]
[Your Phone Number]

DOWNLOAD THE LETTER

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Relocating to Maui to escape an abusive relationship, she lived unhoused on and off for decades, and gained respect by meeting many people who have lived on the streets. She helped build community with others by providing much needed kindness and gifting necessary help. “It is really important to help people get shower, sleep and food.”

Although very shy, Sonia actively participates in the Share Your Mana Advisory Committee. Still cautious to trust and share her story, she partners with Share Your Mana to actively use social media to educate community members.

With the leadership of the ACLU HI legal team, Sonia was one of two plaintiffs to challenge the Maui County Administration on Sweeping Encampments and violating residents Civil Rights. In March 2024, the Hawai‘i Supreme Court rendered a favorable verdict acknowledging the County did violate the right to own property, to have a contested case hearing, and to have accurate communication offered on the process.

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Previously, she was Executive Director of the Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc. (HPRP), a Maryland-based civil legal aid organization committed to changing the systems that contribute to poverty and homelessness.  During her thirteen-year tenure at HPRP, she incubated innovative civil legal aid projects providing legal assistance to all persons experiencing homelessness, including youth and veterans—as well as systemic initiatives to decriminalize homelessness and advance policies to end homelessness, all by lifting the voices of persons most affected by homelessness.

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Ms. Miller has over 25 years of dedicated federal service and worked in various phases of data collection.  She started working for the Census Bureau in the Philadelphia Regional Office supervising demographic surveys, like the Current Population Survey and the American Housing Survey.  Currently she works at the Census Bureau headquarters in Suitland, MD where she is focused on improving data collection and analysis in historically undercounted populations.

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Brian attended the University of Pittsburgh, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Economics and a Master of Business Administration at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Brian also holds a Master Certificate in Project Management and a Master Certificate in Business Analysis from George Washington University in Washington D.C.

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My research focuses on understanding the experiences of vehicle residents in the US and nomadism in contemporary society. Through qualitative inquiry, I explore how nomads navigate societal perceptions of an unconventional lifestyle and form unique communities.

When I’m not researching, you’ll find me outdoors, finding inspiration in nature, experimenting in the kitchen, or taking a nap with my two cats. I am also involved in campus clubs like the Anthropology and Sailing Clubs at CSULB.

I have had the honor of actively engaging in the Virtual Caravans hosted by the Home on Wheel Alliance and volunteering my time with the National Vehicle Residency Coalition. In addition, I am affiliated with organizations like the American Anthropological Association and the Society for Applied Anthropology, advocating for a more inclusive understanding of human diversity.

Thanks for taking the time to read my bio! Feel free to reach out—I’d love to chat about anthropology, nomadism, or anything else that interests you.

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