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Gerald Commons opens cabins; critics and RV residents urge safe‑parking strategy
Summary
HSH opened Gerald Commons phase 1 with 60 cabins and plans for more congregate shelter; the department changed initial plans for RV capacity to maximize shelter beds and said it will present an RV strategy next month. RV residents and advocates said ticketing and towing are destabilizing and called for a safe‑parking site and parking protections.
HSH confirmed that phase 1 of a new interim-shelter site, Gerald Commons in District 10, opened April 1 with 60 cabins and space for 68 people; HSH said the site will likely add cabins and congregate shelter capacity over the next nine months but that the exact final layout and capacity have not yet been determined.
Originally the plan included capacity and services for people living in RVs, HSH said, but the department altered the configuration to "maximize capacity and serve more people in need in the community." HSH told the commission that it is developing a multi-pronged RV strategy and will present that strategy at the next commission meeting. HSH said the cabins will be prioritized for older adults in District 10 and that the site will include IHSS support and additional congregate capacity for adults of any age.
Why it matters: Advocates and RV residents at the meeting said changes to Gerald Commons— plans left people living in vehicles without promised options and that many displaced RV residents face ticketing and towing. Flo Kelly and other speakers described individuals who relocated to Gilman Avenue after the closure of a vehicle triage center and then received parking tickets up to $108; commenters urged a city safe-parking program that prevents towing and ticketing at designated sites.
Public comments: Flo Kelly and other coalition members urged the city to establish safe parking where residents can keep vehicles without fear of towing and to avoid ticketing that jeopardizes residents' only asset. Other public speakers described being moved from encampments into temporary sites without stable exits and pressed HSH for clearer tracking of relinked clients and for presentations on Homeward Bound and on the investigation process for complaints.
HSH response and next steps: McSpadden said HSH is working on an RV strategy and will bring a detailed plan to the commission at a future meeting. The department also said it is working through community engagement for Gerald Commons, which HSH said has been ongoing since August 2023.
Ending note: Gerald Commons represents an immediate expansion of interim shelter capacity but leaves unresolved questions about services for people living in vehicles and about how the city will avoid displacing RV residents into ticketing or towing enforcement while offering safe parking alternatives.
