Crackdown on illegal RV parking in Marina

UPDATE 8/10/2017 6:25 p.m.:

People living out of vehicles have been illegally camping on Lapis Road, just outside of Marina, for years. But the problem has gotten worse in the past several months. Despite posted warnings, it’s now common to see more than 60 recreational vehicles, trailers and cars parked on the one-mile roadway.

On Thursday, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office went to more than 60 spots, giving notice to people they were illegally camping and had to vacate by the end of the month. They also gave them paperwork outlining the services and resources available to them, like emergency shelters, housing and where to get food. They were also offered help from social workers and Veterans Affairs.

“We don’t just want to kick them out and just move them on to another spot where they’re going to be unwanted,” said Cmdr. Joe Moses. “We want to try to find a spot where they can stay at a more permanent basis.”

“They gave us a pretty gentle political answer to the fact that they’re not trying to displace us but they’re giving us till the 31st, which is more generous that the usual 72 hours to find resources or services or just another location because it’s against the municipal code to be out here and camp out and stuff like that,” said Donlee Duncan, who has been living on Lapis Road since April.

But not everyone wanted to be connected with services. We watched as one woman denied it and walked away.

“A lot of people who are in this situation are here because they’re not as likely to want to receive certain social services, either for pride issues or trust issues or mental illness issues and such. Even know it may be there, it may not be the kind they actually need, or what they want or whatever,” Duncan said.

The situation has gotten so bad on Lapis Road that it is now a health and safety issue. We observed bags of human waste and bottles of urine left on the ground, and gas and other motor fluids leaking from cars, possibly contaminating the soil.

“We don’t know if it’s just being seeped into the ground, if they’re collecting it in buckets where those buckets go, and that kind of thing so it is a big issue for us,” Moses said.

Crime is also an issue. Two deputies patrol the area and they’re getting a lot more calls. Most are domestic violence, robbery and nuisance complaints.

Authorities did check for stolen cars while they were there and did criminal background checks, finding a woman on probation and a sex offender.

The Sheriff’s Office and county partners will be visiting Lapis Road every Thursday until the end of the month.

ORIGINAL POST:

Monterey County agencies are cracking down on more than 60 RV’s, trailers and cars parked illegally on a side street in Marina.

On Thursday morning, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office along with other agencies gave notices to the homeless on Lapis Road. The people living there were reminded that a cleanup of the mile stretch near Highway 1 is set for August 31.

Monterey County leaders blame the uptick on a growing number of Central Coast cities cracking down on overnight parking and a lack of affordable housing.

KION’s Mariana Hicks will have the story at 5 and 6 p.m.