Residents near Mona Way in San Jose, California, have expressed frustration with the city's Oversized and Lived-in Vehicle Enforcement program (OLIVE), which was intended to tackle a surge of problem RVs taking over the street. Despite the program's establishment last year, residents claim that the issue has worsened, with more vehicles returning after the temporary tow-away zone expired.
The OLIVE program was launched in January 2025, with the goal of setting up 30 temporary tow-away zones and potentially 10 permanent ones through the end of the fiscal year. The city plans to create 50 new sites this year as well as a supplemental program to investigate 1,500-2,000 oversized and lived-in vehicles that are not parked in OLIVE sites.
While some residents, like Yogi Sahu, have expressed satisfaction with the program's effectiveness in clearing streets, others have reported concerns about "delays, conflicting information, and inadequate temporary measures." Maulik Thaker noted that even when environmental teams tag a leaking motor home, it often returns, perpetuating the problem.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan acknowledged that the program is not perfect but emphasized its need to scale up enforcement while taking a balanced approach. He stated that the goal is not to roll back the program or return to the previous situation where people felt they could permanently encamp in public spaces.
However, for many residents, such as Charles Adams, who told The Mercury News, "We've been complaining forever and nothing gets done," it's clear that the program has failed to address the underlying issues. The RV problem persists, with some areas experiencing mini-encampments, creating a whack-a-mole-like scenario.
The city's efforts have been focused on expanding its shelter system, including opening a large safe parking lot last year and implementing new parking enforcement strategies. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains unclear, particularly for residents living in RVs with no alternative housing options.
As San Jose heads into budget discussions soon, Mahan expects that the city will seek to improve enforcement while taking a measured approach. Nonetheless, many residents continue to express concerns about the program's impact and its inability to address the root causes of the problem.
The OLIVE program was launched in January 2025, with the goal of setting up 30 temporary tow-away zones and potentially 10 permanent ones through the end of the fiscal year. The city plans to create 50 new sites this year as well as a supplemental program to investigate 1,500-2,000 oversized and lived-in vehicles that are not parked in OLIVE sites.
While some residents, like Yogi Sahu, have expressed satisfaction with the program's effectiveness in clearing streets, others have reported concerns about "delays, conflicting information, and inadequate temporary measures." Maulik Thaker noted that even when environmental teams tag a leaking motor home, it often returns, perpetuating the problem.
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan acknowledged that the program is not perfect but emphasized its need to scale up enforcement while taking a balanced approach. He stated that the goal is not to roll back the program or return to the previous situation where people felt they could permanently encamp in public spaces.
However, for many residents, such as Charles Adams, who told The Mercury News, "We've been complaining forever and nothing gets done," it's clear that the program has failed to address the underlying issues. The RV problem persists, with some areas experiencing mini-encampments, creating a whack-a-mole-like scenario.
The city's efforts have been focused on expanding its shelter system, including opening a large safe parking lot last year and implementing new parking enforcement strategies. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains unclear, particularly for residents living in RVs with no alternative housing options.
As San Jose heads into budget discussions soon, Mahan expects that the city will seek to improve enforcement while taking a measured approach. Nonetheless, many residents continue to express concerns about the program's impact and its inability to address the root causes of the problem.
... I mean, the OLIVE program was supposed to help with the RV issue in San Jose, but now it seems like it's just making things worse 
. Some people say it's working okay and they're happy with the temporary tow-away zones, but others are all like "no way, this is not solving anything!" 
. I guess what really gets me is that some of these RVs keep coming back after the zones expire... it's like, can't we just figure out a permanent solution? 
But at the same time, I kinda get why the city needs to scale up enforcement and take a balanced approach... but then again, shouldn't they be doing more to address the root causes of the problem? 
Ugh, my brain hurts 
.
. I mean, think about it, they set up temporary tow-away zones and all that jazz, but the real issue is just movin' the problem from one spot to another 
. It's like whack-a-mole, you hit one down, two pop up somewhere else.
. Is it because of lack of affordable housing? Poor transportation options? I don't know, but what I do know is that we need a more comprehensive approach to dealin' with this issue, not just throwin' more resources at it without fixin' the underlying problems 
.
. We need a solid plan that addresses the root causes of this problem, not just treat the symptoms 
.
I feel for these people, living in RVs with no place else to go... it's heartbreaking to hear that the program they needed hasn't worked out so far 
. It's like, you try to tackle a problem, but you're still left with more issues popping up all over the place 
. I don't blame them for feeling frustrated - it's like they've been complaining about this forever and nothing ever changes 
. I've seen so many RVs come and go, it's like whack-a-mole 
, and people are still livin' in 'em because they can't afford a real home 
. My neighbor got her motorhome tagged and parked for weeks but it just showed up again after the tow-away zone expired... what's the point? 
. It's not just about clearin' streets, it's about human lives 
.
these temporary tow-away zones are like whack-a-moles, every time you think they're working something just comes back 
. And don't even get me started on the environmental teams - if they can't even stop leaky motorhomes from returning, what's the point? It's like whack-a-mole out there.
.
and don't even get me started on the fact that some people are just gonna keep coming back like they're whack-a-moleing us 
...and what's going on with the shelter system, it sounds like they're just trying to kick the can down the road a bit 
...anyway, i guess we'll just have to wait and see how budget discussions play out this year 
. They think they can just slap on a label like "temporary tow-away zone" and people will forget about the issue? Please. These RVs are coming back for a reason, it's not that hard to figure out. And what about all these new sites being created this year? Just another way to kick the can down the road, you know? Meanwhile, they're still ignoring the real problems - like why people are living in RVs in the first place. Is it because there aren't enough affordable housing options? Or is it just easier for them to just park on the side of the road? I'm not buying it 
... I mean, can't they just build more affordable housing options for people living in RVs? It's like they're treating the symptoms instead of the disease. And don't even get me started on the temporary tow-away zones - what about the people who can't afford to move their homes? 
