San Francisco opens first parking area for homeless living out of vehicles

Vehicle triage center for homeless hoping to open next week in San Francisco

Christien Kafton reports from San Francisco.

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco now has a place for homeless people to park their RVs and receive much-needed services.

Mayor London Breed was at the opening event on Wednesday for the "Vehicle Triage Center," which offers safe parking for people living out of their vehicles. The facility is located on San Jose Avenue, next to the Balboa Bart Station.

The parking lot has enough space for 30 RVs and will have around the clock security as well as portable toilets and showers. There are also case managers on hand to help people transition to permanent housing.

San Francisco opens first RV site for homeless

The facility has enough space for 30 RVs and will have around the clock security and portable toilets and showers for people who park at the site. 

Mayor Breed said the facility is a productive first step toward addressing vehicular homelessness.

"What we all have to understand is that sometimes it's not always a one size fits all," Breed said."Trying to understand the challenges that people who are homeless are dealing with and meeting them where they are and getting them the help and support they need to transition into a more permanent stable housing situation is something we care about."

The city said the Vehicle Triage Center is a pilot program and will be dismantled in the fall when work begins to turn the lot into an affordable housing development.