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Seattle sets new permit rules for people living in RVs, directs $5 million to services
The City Council approved a six-bill package to connect people living in vehicles with shelter and housing while changing rules for RVs parked on public streets. The plan uses $5 million in existing city funds and sets a phased timeline for enforcement.
The Seattle City Council voted 8-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 20, to approve a six-bill package creating a Vehicle Resident Assistance Program for people living in cars, motorhomes and travel trailers.
The legislation directs $5 million in existing city funding to services including safe parking lots, storage and outreach. It also authorizes the city to store vehicles for people moving into shelter or housing and gives the director of Finance and Administrative Services more authority to make resources available sooner.
Under one of the bills, people living in motorhomes or travel trailers may remain in them if they follow city laws and program rules and stay on a waitlist for appropriate shelter. The city may revoke a permit for rule violations or repeatedly turning down appropriate shelter offers. RVs without permits would be limited to two hours of parking on public streets at a time.
The package also updates Seattle’s junk-vehicle law, which the city said had not been revised in 25 years. Councilmember Dan Strauss, the legislation’s sponsor, said one in four people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in the region lives in a vehicle. He said the measures are intended to create a path to shelter and housing.
The bills now go to the mayor for approval and signature. If signed, most provisions would take effect in 30 days. The RV regulations are scheduled to take effect April 30, 2027, with enforcement starting July 31, 2027, after a warning period.