What is King County Doing to help People living in cars?

After making code changes to get oversized vehicles away from parking on public right-of-ways, the city of Renton is making some rules on residential property. The code changes refer to the number of large vehicles allowed at residential properties and would ban others. The code changes would also enforce the amount of time a person was allowed to live in a recreational vehicle (RV) in one spot. The code would also regulate where RVs could be parked on residential property.

Residents are living in vehicles in and around the region, according to data collected in the latest Count Us In, a count of people experiencing homelessness in King County. The southwest region, which included Renton and 12 other cities, is estimated to have 303 people living in cars, 115 in RVs and 82 in vans. 

Right now city code doesn’t allow for living in RVs on any public or private property in Renton proper, according to city staff at the Sept. 18 planning commission meeting. 

One of the staff recommendations could change the length of time a person could live in an RV on private residential property. Staff recommended it be capped at seven days without a permit, and after that requires a $100 temporary use permit for 30 days. Staff recommended the permit be renewed only four times a year.

On appeal to King County Superior Court, the court ruled that Washington’s Homestead Act (“Act”) (chapter 6.13 RCW) applies to vehicles that are used as residences. The court found that homestead status attaches to a vehicle from the time an owner starts using it as a residence and that filing a “declaration of homestead” is not required to invoke homestead protections.