Why do the folks from Santa Cruz Cares feel that this city has an obligation to allow RV dwellers to live on neighborhood streets, when there are over a dozen RV parks in the Santa Cruz/Watsonville area that can accommodate them? Oh, but wait … these parks actually charge a fee for their facilities! Many who choose this vagabond lifestyle have no jobs, few resources and bring little or nothing to the community, yet still feel that Santa Cruz should provide them with a place to park their rigs and allow them to live here for free. Where does responsibility to provide for oneself enter the picture here, if at all?
A friend of mine once lived in a RV because that’s all he could afford on his meager SSI income. He liked this area but knew he couldn’t afford to live here, so what did he do? No, he didn’t just park on the street somewhere and start calling it home like many do here, but instead, found himself an affordable RV park in King City. No, King City certainly isn’t Santa Cruz, but that’s all he could manage. Despite his pared-down lifestyle, he maintained a sense of personal responsibility and didn’t expect others to provide for him. Maybe all the RV “campers” who feel that this community owes them something could take a page from his playbook and start being responsible for their lives instead of expecting a free ride from the city.
Jim Sklenar
Santa Cruz
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Agreed – people do see this as alternative lifestyle. I’ve seen luxury cars parked next to many of rigs . What a nice gig, no property tax, no sewer fees as many just dump on side of road or down drainage grates, etc and live in beach town that provides free food etc. word travels fast in these communities where best places are to squat. Santa Cruz must crack down on this or problem will continue to grow.
I agree with the writer. Groups like Santa Cruz Cares make no distinction between those who are living in their vehicles because they have to and people who are just on vacation or rolling through to surf. Both groups create bad impacts to the neighborhoods and contribute absolutely nothing. I’m happy the city is providing places for parking legally, but the cops need to insist that people living on the streets use those places and stop parking wherever they want.
There is nothing wrong with charging owners of RV’s for city services. And there is nothing wrong with limiting the duration that they can park in the city to make room for other travelers to visit here. Even boat owner have to pay taxes on the land under their boat when in a slip. Taxes pay for city services such as trash clean up and police.