UUCPA Safe Parking Program

UUCPA Board Presentation June 19, 2024

What is Safe Parking?

• Provides parking sites where people experiencing homelessness can stay in their cars overnight. They provide support services and a safe play to take care of basic needs.
• Parking on the street isn’t safe and subject to tow
• People need support to save money for apartment down payments, clean clothes to get a job etc.
• 88% of unhoused people in Palo Alto were sleeping in vehicles in January 2023 in survey by the city

Safe Parking Program Overview: 2.5 years of service

• Permit issued September 8th, 2021
• 1st client October 21st, 2021
• Current capacity: 4 passenger vehicles
• 16 clients served
• 3 clients currently in lot
• 8 clients placed into positive outcomes
• Average stay: 121 days
• Clients can share vehicles
• 0 complaints or incidents from neighbors

Current Program Operations

• Guests are pre-screened by Move MV. Move MV enforces rules.
• Passenger cars only no RVs or large vehicles.
• 4 cars allowed to park at night 6pm to 7:30am every day.
• Assigned parking spots at rear of parking lot
• Guests not allowed to remain on campus during the day.
• Move MV lot monitors check in the evening and the morning for issues. 24 hr. hotline for UUCPA and guests to call if there are issues.

https://www.movemv.org/safe-parking

Location for Operations: �Back parking lot near bike path

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We provide:

• Toilets
• Drinking water
• WiFi

Advocacy for more capacity

• Original city ordinance capped capacity at 4 passenger vehicles
• Designed to minimize program participation
• Palo Alto in February 2024 passed ordinance for program to expand

Proposed expansion

• Expand our program by 2 cars in 2024 (Max capacity 6 cars)
• And 2 more cars in 2025 (Max capacity 8 cars)
• No anticipated conflicts with other campus activities based on current operational experience.

Questions?