"It was chaotic."
That was Yessica Hernandez, a peer organizer at the Coalition on Homelessness. For nearly four years, she has helped the Lakeside RV community search for stability. That job became harder when enforced parking restrictions uprooted them in Early August.
Then on Wednesday, they were met with another blow. Hernandez told KALW, "I got some calls where they were like 'they are about to tow my home, I'm about to lose my place.'"
At 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, the issue was further complicated. SFMTA officers began issuing warnings, stating that the RV’s were in violation of a code, prohibiting public street parking for over 72 hours. According to Hernandez, these warnings have been ineffectively communicated, especially considering that many members of the largely South and Central American communities only speak Spanish.
"When you don't know the language and don't understand the law," said Hernandez, "people start panicking, of course."
Hernandez says that the community members haven’t been told why they are being towed or given warnings in their own language. This has left many unsure of what steps to take to resolve their issues.
SFMTA action towards the community has ramped up in the past month and without a solid answer of where the RVs can park long term, Hernandez says: "They are basically pushing people out of the city, from what it feels like, because they are targeting people that live in RV's and vans. "