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Long-time residents of the City of Mountain View, located in the heart of Silicon Valley, say housing prices have forced them into RVs and, now, city officials want to make their mobile homes illegal.
Six residents filed the class action lawsuit in California federal court Wednesday hoping to halt the enforcement of two city ordinances they say will force those who have turned to oversized vehicles for housing out of the community. They claim that in the face of “skyrocketing” housing prices, the City of Mountain View has failed to offer affordable housing options, instead, turning its long-time residents into criminals under “oversize vehicle” (OSV) bans.
The lead plaintiffs all live in RVs parked along the streets in the City of Mountain View. Some have jobs or children enrolled in schools in the area. Others need to live close to medical facilities. They claim that under a pair of new ordinances they and other “poor and vulnerable” residents face the towing and impoundment of their homes.
“The City has announced that it intends to commence enforcement of the OSV Ban in phases during the second half of 2021, which will result in the Plaintiffs being threatened with the towing and impoundment of their homes and receiving citations and fines,” states the class action lawsuit. “While the OSV Ban has not yet been enforced against Plaintiffs, the impending enforcement creates significant uncertainty in the lives of Plaintiffs and all others similarly situated individuals”
Under one of the new OSV bans, it is illegal to park an RV or other oversize vehicle on any street less than or equal to forty (40) feet in width. The other law bans RVs on roads with bike lanes – leaving few options for Mountain View residents now living in RVs, explains the class action lawsuit.
“Violations of either Ordinance can result the immediate towing and impoundment of RVs along with excessive fines to reclaim the vehicle—vehicles that are the only shelter available to Plaintiffs and members of the proposed Class,” say the plaintiffs.
Silicon Valley’s OSV bans are unconstitutional under state and federal law, claims the class action lawsuit. They leave “vulnerable individuals” without access to educational and medical resources in their community, allege the plaintiffs.
“The United States Constitution, the California Constitution, and other applicable laws prohibit the City from casting out its poor and vulnerable populations because they do not have and cannot afford more permanent, traditional housing,” states the complaint.
Further, the City of Mountain View OSV bans violate certain Class Members’ rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, claim the plaintiffs.
The class action lawsuit is seeking an injunction against the City of Mountain View, stopping city officials from enforcing the OSV bans. They also want city officials to come up with a way to exempt disabled individuals from the OSV ban.
The plaintiffs say both of these actions should stay in place until the Silicon Valley city comes up with a way to provide affordable housing to all of its residents.
Are you a Silicon Valley resident? Has the housing market priced you out of a traditional home? Tell us about your experience in the comment section below!
The plaintiffs are represented by the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California, Disability Rights Advocates, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and King & Spalding LLP.
The Silicon Valley Housing Market Class Action Lawsuit is Navarro, et al. v. City of Mountain View, Case No. 5:21-cv-05381-NC in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California San Jose Division.
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