Community center asks San Francisco to intervene as homeless RVs parked outside increase

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- More problems for unhoused RV owners in San Francisco still looking for a place to land.

They were asked to leave one location and ended up at the Pomeroy Community Center parking lot -- where it's creating problems for employees and visitors.

RV residents at San Francisco's Winston Drive were recently asked to move from the area and many are now parked on Zoo Road where a community center for disabled seniors and children is located.

Inside San Francisco's Pomeroy Center, the largest recreation and rehab center for developmentally disabled children and adults, staff members are growing concerned by the number of unhoused people in RVs parked outside.

"They are blocking the ramp a little bit. We have two accessible ramps on that side, and it has been a little bit more difficult to access them and parking spots for our staff are significantly less. We have lost 25 parking spots for our staff," said Jillian Flannery with the Pomeroy Center.

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Last Thursday, SFMTA began implementing a four-hour parking limit on Winston Drive, forcing multiple RV residents to look for other locations to park longterm.

Many RVs moved to Zoo Road where the Pomeroy Center is located, and the only parking rule is to move vehicles during street cleaning. One of the RV residents is Jamilet Lira.

Lira has lived in her RV for three years with her two adult sons. The family moved from Winston Drive to Zoo Road and say they like it much better.

"We like it here a lot because it's safe. It's not loud, there is no noise. We would like for them to let us stay here," Lira said.

Lira said the city did offer her shelter, but she rejected it. She said after having an accident she needs her family close to help her and the city's shelter option was only for her.

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"I had to live by myself, but I can't," Lira said.

The Pomeroy Center says they have compassion for the families and even offered them to be part of their Thursday food pantry, but they want the city to find a solution.

"I saw a couple children down there. They are playing in the middle of the street. A car almost hit them. The ball ran out. It's just not a very safe place for little children," Flannery said. "We are actually really hopeful that the city is going to come up with a compassionate plan that would benefit both the Pomeroy Center and the RV residents."

In a statement, the mayor's office said the RV's should not remain along Zoo road:

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"The Mayor's Office is actively working with City departments, including SFMTA and HSH on next steps for this site. We are not pursuing any proposed permitting system for vehicles to remain on site in the public right of way on Zoo Road or anywhere else."

In the meantime, people who frequent the center want a solution soon.

"It is very disruptive to the people that have to come here, because it's kind of like an obstacle. They have to get around it," said SF resident Larry Lai.

According to the city's Homelessness and Supportive Housing Department, "as recently as June 27, HSH engaged 27 households in an Outreach Fair and as a result, 23 households, including children and families, have been moved out of their vehicles and are now successfully housed," but many say they are still waiting for a housing option.