Under the plan, RVs could park for no more than two hours at a time anywhere in the city, with overnight parking prohibited. That would replace current rules allowing RVs to remain for up to 72 hours in industrial areas. The legislation also would let the city tow vehicles found violating the rules without first issuing the written warning currently required.

The changes are scheduled to take effect April 30, 2027, with a 90-day warning period before enforcement begins. People seeking permission to follow the existing parking rules would have to join a city program, prove they own their RV and show they were included in a one-time city census. The program is intended to connect participants with shelter, but ultimately requires them to give up their RV.

Councilmember Dan Strauss, who developed the package, said Seattle needs a targeted response to vehicle homelessness. Large RVs can obstruct traffic and make streets harder to navigate, he said, and older vehicles may contain materials considered unsafe for people or the environment.

“Our current system is failing and doing nothing is not an option,” Strauss said.

A University of Washington study released in September, based on data collected for the federal government in January, estimated that 1,484 people in Seattle live in vehicles. Most live in smaller vehicles; about 377 people were estimated to live in RVs and other oversized vehicles, a number the study found had declined.

The measures direct the city to fund help with vehicle repairs, license plates and gas, and create seven positions in the Human Services Department, including a team focused on outreach to people living in vehicles. Seattle previously had a vehicle outreach team but cut its funding in the early 2020s.

The legislation also calls for new lots where RV residents can park while seeking shelter, though the package itself is not expected to fund them. Strauss said he has proposed money in the coming budget for a second safe lot. The city’s first such lot is relocating after losing its temporary site, which was redeveloped as a pickleball complex.

Supporters, including business owners, cited concerns about drug use and crime near RV encampments. Opponents argued the restrictions could penalize people who live in vehicles because they cannot afford housing. Some also warned the program could cost several million dollars to operate during a tight budget year and divert money from shelter and services.

Councilmember Dionne Foster voted against the restrictions, citing the one-time census and ownership requirements, which could exclude people who become homeless later or cannot obtain vehicle paperwork. “Homelessness isn’t a static experience,” Foster said.

Advocates have also pointed to San Francisco’s large-vehicle program, which has sheltered or housed nearly 250 households while towing almost 390 large vehicles, city data shows. The figures have raised concern that some people may lose their vehicles without securing another place to stay.

Wilson’s proposed budget seeks $37 million to expand shelter by 960 units by the end of next year. Meanwhile, King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn introduced a proposal Tuesday directing the county executive to identify roads where parked vehicles could pose safety risks and consider additional parking restrictions. Dunn has warned that Seattle’s changes could lead people to park elsewhere in the county.