SF to extend RV parking permits to avoid tows as hundreds are still waiting for housing

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The San Francisco parking permit that has prevented hundreds of RVs from getting towed is set to expire next month and even though the city is subsidizing the cost of rent for two years to help RV residents move into housing, the issue is still not enough affordable housing.

Five months into San Francisco’s two-hour parking limit for RVs, many are still waiting for housing.

“I keep telling them. Show me a place that I can move in and then we can talk. I will fill out all the books you want me. I will spend three days signing papers and filling out papers. Show me a me place,” said RV resident Jean Pierre.

In 2025, San Francisco hundreds of parking permits to RV residents and promised two things: they would not get their RVs towed with this permit for six months, and would get connected with housing services. Now one month away from those permits expiring, many like Jean Pierre are growing concerned. He has a full-time job but can’t afford an apartment in the city. His RV is the only option for now.

“Are you concerned that your RV could be towed?” ABC7 Eyewitness News reporter Luz Pena asked.

MORE: SF RV parking ban enforcement set to begin as grace period ends: What residents should know

“Yes, absolutely they’ve been towing all kinds of RVs, all the time. I don’t see people getting into housing. I see people getting towed and ended up homeless,” said Jean Pierre.

Jean Pierre said he’s been on a waitlist. In the middle of our conversation with him, he got call from his case manager hoping it would be his turn — but it wasn’t.

“They don’t have any housing. They are keeping me moving going places, giving all my information,” said Jean Pierre.

According to the city, in the last five months 81 households have been placed into stable housing – and there are still active RV permits, meaning hundreds are still on the streets waiting.

During this time, the city has also towed 171 RVs.

MORE: SF investigates after RV residents report scam by city worker who sold them permit to avoid tows

“We are coming up on our six-month mark and from our perspective, it has been a complete disaster for most of the folks living in RVs- their permits are set to expire,” said Jennifer Friedenbach, Executive Director of the Coalition on Homelessness.

We asked the city what the plan is once the permit expires. In a statement from the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, they said in part:

“Households in the program that have not yet received an offer of housing or shelter will have their permits extended, in accordance with the Large Vehicle program ordinance. They will not have to reapply to the program.”

“We are calling on the city to do automatic extensions. If they need new stickers because there are dates on them then just the SFMTA officers slap a new sticker on top of it. They can check in the database whether they’ve gotten access housing or not,” said Friedenbach.

A source confirmed the city will begin to implement extensions to the six-month program starting next week. As to housing, we are told some of the RV residents have been placed into housing in cities outside of San Francisco like Antioch, Oakland and Sacramento.

Full statement from DEM:

“Households in the program that have not yet received an offer of housing or shelter will have their permits extended, in accordance with the Large Vehicle program ordinance. They will not have to reapply to the program.

Their assigned case managers will work directly with them to switch out their current permit with a new one that has an expiration date 6 months after their original permit. Those who do not yet have assigned case managers will be contacted by the City to perform the permit extension.

Permitted vehicles will not be subject to parking enforcement for the two-hour limit during this extension process.”