Seattle City Council approves Councilmember Strauss’ Vehicle Resident Assistance Program legislation

The Seattle City Council approved six pieces of legislation sponsored by Councilmember Dan Strauss (District 6), known as the Vehicle Resident Assistance Program (VRAP). The legislation will create pathways to shelter and housing for all people living in their vehicles and update the City of Seattle’s regulation of RVs on public streets.  

“For far too long, people living in their vehicles have been forgotten on our streets. The city of Seattle has had no strategy and very few services to help them. We had a question before us today: whether to continue with the status quo—which we know isn’t working—or to try a new approach. I am thankful the council chose a new approach today. This legislation will provide a road to shelter and housing for people living in their vehicles,” said Councilmember Strauss.  

One out of every four people experiencing unsheltered homelessness in our region is living in their vehicle. Despite that fact, the city of Seattle offers vehicle residents very few services and has no specific strategy to help them build pathways to shelter and housing. We also know that Seattle’s current approach to RVs is not working. 

The VRAP changes that by creating new resources to help people who live in all types of vehicles, establishing resources and rules specific to RVs, and clarifying the city’s existing junk vehicle law. 

“The Vehicle Resident Outreach (VRO) team has been working with individuals living in RVs for a long time without a permanent path forward. This legislation provides a much better pathway toward housing this population. While we still urgently need more affordable housing overall, this policy is an important and meaningful first step,” said Jen Adams, Vehicle Resident Outreach.

How the Vehicle Resident Assistance Program Works 

Creates New Services 

• Invests in new services: Directs $5 million of existing funding already in the city’s budget to increase services such as safe lots, shelter storage, and direct outreach, and to create pathways to housing for vehicle residents (CB 121282). 
• Creates ‘Shelter Storage’: Allows the city to create a new service that will help vehicle residents access shelter and housing by allowing the city to store their vehicle, instead of risk losing their possessions (CB 121281). 
• Cuts red tape to open resources faster: Expands the authority of the Finance and Administrative Services director to sign leases and open safe lots, safe storage, and other resources faster for people who live in their vehicles (CB 121279). 

Establishes New Program for RVs

• New regulations and outreach for people with RVs: Creates a permit program that will build pathways to shelter and housing for people living in motorhomes and travel trailers. Allows people currently living in their RVs to continue doing so as long as they follow current city laws, basic rules, and remain on a waitlist for appropriate shelter. People will be able to keep the permit, unless they violate the rules or repeatedly reject offers of appropriate shelter. Motorhomes and travel trailers without a permit can only park on public streets for two hours at a time (CB 121283).  

Clarifies Existing Law 

• Updates Seattle’s ‘junk vehicle’ law: Clarifies the city’s existing Junk Vehicle Law, which hasn’t been updated in 25 years, to better address non-lived-in vehicles that have been abandoned or inappropriately stored on Seattle’s streets and provides better guidance to parking enforcement (CB 121280). 

What’s Next?  

As with all legislation passed by the Seattle City Council, the VRAP will be presented to the mayor for approval and signature. Once signed, the bills will become effective in 30 days, except for CB 121281, the new regulations on RVs. That law would be scheduled to go into effect April 30, 2027, with a warning period before enforcement officially begins July 31, 2027.  

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