Safe Parking Community Task Force
Starting in 2019, MVCSP started our Safe Parking Community Task Force.
Mountain View, as with other cities in our region, currently has a significant number of residents living in vehicles on streets and in lots throughout the city. What this highlights is the urgent need for quality affordable housing available to those living here. But we must take more immediate action to address safe parking needs in our city. Housing prices are simply too high here for many people to afford them, even for those who are working. And, important to note, our most vulnerable populations, such as students at our local schools (as many as 40 in Mountain View Whisman School District schools according to the League of Women Voters), seniors, and those with health issues, are most affected by this.
A large percentage of people living in their vehicles would not choose to do so if affordable housing were available to them. However, we are not even close to having the level of such housing in place for those who need it. Consequently, Mountain View must do everything it reasonably can to provide and support temporary off-street safe parking to meet existing needs until housing options are adequately in place.
Our task force, in collaboration with other organizations in Mountain View and the region, are embarking on connecting with private-property owners in the city to help them determine if parking at their locations might be used for safe parking purposes. Our direct connection to the City as we proceed is through the Human Relations Commission (HRC) to the City Manager's Office. Our collaboration with the HRC is covered in their current work plan.
Organizations we are collaborating with or in contact with on this effort:
Mountain View, as with other cities in our region, currently has a significant number of residents living in vehicles on streets and in lots throughout the city. What this highlights is the urgent need for quality affordable housing available to those living here. But we must take more immediate action to address safe parking needs in our city. Housing prices are simply too high here for many people to afford them, even for those who are working. And, important to note, our most vulnerable populations, such as students at our local schools (as many as 40 in Mountain View Whisman School District schools according to the League of Women Voters), seniors, and those with health issues, are most affected by this.
A large percentage of people living in their vehicles would not choose to do so if affordable housing were available to them. However, we are not even close to having the level of such housing in place for those who need it. Consequently, Mountain View must do everything it reasonably can to provide and support temporary off-street safe parking to meet existing needs until housing options are adequately in place.
Our task force, in collaboration with other organizations in Mountain View and the region, are embarking on connecting with private-property owners in the city to help them determine if parking at their locations might be used for safe parking purposes. Our direct connection to the City as we proceed is through the Human Relations Commission (HRC) to the City Manager's Office. Our collaboration with the HRC is covered in their current work plan.
Organizations we are collaborating with or in contact with on this effort:
- MOVE Mountain View / Lots of Love
- Community Services Agency (CSA)
- Mountain View Housing Justice Coalition (MVHJC)
- Mountain View Tenants Association
- Mountain View Vehicle Residents
- Dignity on Wheels
- League of Women Voters for Los Altos and Mountain View
- Destination: Home
- Mountain View Chamber of Commerce
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF)
- Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG)
- Abode Services
- State of California Assemblyperson Marc Berman
- State of California Senator Jerry Hill
- County of Santa Clara Commissioner Joe Simitian
- County of Santa Clara Office of Supportive Housing (OSH)