SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — People living in RVs and trailers in San Diego face mounting fines for parking violations, despite a class action settlement requiring the city to make accommodations for those with disabilities and other restrictions.
Teresa Lunsford, who has a spinal condition that prevents her from moving quickly, struggles to comply with safe parking lot requirements that mandate daily check-ins and check-outs at specific times.
"Sometimes I cannot, I just can't do it," Lunsford said.
The daily movement requirement creates additional challenges for Lunsford, who relies on her daughter for assistance.
"You have to move every day. My daughter usually helps me do those things, but she's got a daughter in school as well as this one," Lunsford said.
Last year, the city agreed to make accommodations for people like Lunsford who live in their vehicles as part of a class action settlement. However, attorney Ann Menasche says the city hasn't followed through on those promises.
"They're only supposed to ticket if safe parking is reasonably available based on an individual assessment. Including a totality of circumstances, including distance to the lot," Menasche said.
San Diego police issued more than 4,000 citations to people living in RVs, trailers, and boats in the last three months. Lunsford says she has accumulated nearly $2,000 worth of tickets.
"I talked to them one time, I told them my situation, they didn't care. They did not care," Lunsford said.
San Diego Police Lieutenant Matthew Botkin, who oversees the department's homeless outreach team, disputes that characterization.
"We do have allowances, we are following those," Botkin said.
Botkin says officers work to support individuals with disabilities or other restrictions to help them access safe parking lots.
"They've asserted, 'Hey, I have certain restrictions that prevent me from complying with this.' The very next day, our homeless outreach team is out there, bringing services to them to try and mediate that," Botkin said.
San Diego police say the city is still working to make improvements to the Mission Valley safe parking lot. Menasche says those improvements should include running water, electricity, showers, and shade structures.
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