CB 121283 — Version 2 https://webapi.legistar.com/v1/seattle/Matters/17430/Texts/18991 Screen Reader Users: Make sure settings include reading strikethrough and underline font attributes. The City of Seattle Ordinance / Council Bill / ..title An ordinance relating to the Traffic Code; creating a new permitting program for owners of motor homes and travel trailers to support a structured pathway to shelter; amending Sections 11.14.350, 11.14.660, 11.16.120, 11.23.440, 11.30.040, and 11.72.070 of, and adding Sections 11.14.672, 11.72.071, and 11.23.170 to, the Seattle Municipal Code. ..body Recitals: The City recognizes that motor homes and travel trailers create unique challenges when parked for extended periods in areas not designed to accommodate their size or use. The City aims to support residents living in vehicles by connecting them to services, housing pathways, and safer designated locations by expanding City outreach, contracted outreach, and services the City provides and funds. The City has interest in expanding investments in safe lots to provide structured, service supported parking locations offering access to restrooms, showers, case management, and dedicated transition support for people living in vehicles. The City is seeking to establish shelter storage programs that allow individuals transitioning into shelter or housing to safely store their vehicles while engaging in City contracted services. The lack of a formalized definition for motor homes and travel trailers contributes to inconsistent and inequitable enforcement, creates uncertainty for people living in vehicles, and limits the City’s ability to manage oversized vehicles in a manner that improves neighborhood livability. To improve safety, predictability, and access to services, the City intends to create a Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit program that authorizes overnight parking for operable motor homes and travel trailers in designated Industrial zones while establishing requirements that support health, safety, and accountability. Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits will have geographic service areas that are aligned with City and contracted outreach in order to ensure clients are parking in the areas their outreach workers operate within. The City seeks to ensure this permit program is paired with case management, geographic assignment rules, and continued engagement with Safe Lot, Shelter Storage, shelter, and housing resources. This permit program will be made available to individuals and vehicles identified through a one-time census of vehicles on city streets to be conducted by the Human Services Department. Vehicles arriving after that census will not be eligible for the permit, but will still be able to access Safe Lot, Shelter Storage, shelter, and housing resources. The legislation revises the Traffic Code to allow for impounding of motor homes and travel trailers without notice, however the intention of this legislation is for enforcement to provide for up to three warnings for unpermitted vehicles. Permit holders would be able to retain the permit for their vehicles until they are able to move into shelter or housing, unless they violate the permit terms, which allow permit holders to turn down up to six offers of shelter or housing. Notice of loss of permit eligibility would start a 15-day appeal period, during which time permittees would be able to appeal the loss of their eligibility. The legislation intends to support both neighborhood safety and the wellbeing of individuals living in vehicles by creating structured pathways toward safer parking environments, service engagement, shelter, and long-term housing solutions. The 2026 Adopted Budget contains $3.5 million in on-going funding to support vehicle residents’ transition to shelter. Additionally, $1.5 million of one-time funding for vehicle residents is available in 2026. The City must also maximize its existing right-of-way enforcement work, including the enforcement of street-use regulations that prohibit long-term parking of recreational vehicles and travel trailers, by ensuring that the Seattle Police Department does not spend Parking Enforcement Officer salary dollars for any other purpose, and the Council intends to consider in the 2027-2028 Adopted Budget development process a proviso that would restrict such dollars accordingly. Therefore, Be it ordained by The City of Seattle as follows: Section 1. Section 11.14.350 of the Seattle Municipal Code, enacted by Ordinance 108200, is amended as follows: 11.14.350 Motor homes((.)) “Motor homes” means motor vehicles more than 80 inches wide, not including mirrors or accessories, originally designed, reconstructed, or permanently altered to provide facilities for human habitation, which include lodging, cooking, or sewage disposal, and is enclosed within a solid body shell with the vehicle. (((RCW 46.04.305))) Section 2. Section 11.14.660 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 125253, is amended as follows: 11.14.660 Trailer "Trailer" means any vehicle without motive power designed to be drawn by or used in conjunction with a motor vehicle constructed so that no appreciable part of its weight rests upon or is carried by such motor vehicle, but does not include a municipal transit vehicle, or any portion thereof. "Trailer" does not include a cargo extension or travel trailer. Section 3. A new Section 11.14.672 is added to the Seattle Municipal Code as follows: 11.14.672 Travel trailer “Travel trailer” means a trailer built on a single chassis transportable upon the public streets and highways that is designated to be used as a temporary dwelling without a permanent foundation and may be used without being connected to utilities. Section 4. Section 11.16.120 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 126756, is amended as follows: 11.16.120 Director of Transportation—Authority The Director of Transportation is authorized: * * * G. To promulgate rules and regulations for the RPZ program; ((and)) H. To prepare and recommend for adoption by the City Council a schedule of fees applicable to the reviewing and administering permits and issuing violations for vehicle and curb space uses((.)); and I. To promulgate rules and regulations for the Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit program, pursuant to Section 11.23.170. Section 5. A new Section 11.23.170 is added to the Seattle Municipal Code as follows: 11.23.170 Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit A. The Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit program is established in order to provide a structured pathway for individuals living in motor homes and travel trailers to transition toward safer parking environments, engagement with human services, shelter, and long-term housing solutions. The Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit allows the permit holder to park a permitted motor home or travel trailer pursuant to subsection 11.72.071.B and the terms of the permit described in this Section 11.23.170. Only one permit per person may be granted. B. The Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation, following consultation with the Director of the Human Services Department, the General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of Seattle Public Utilities, and the Chief of the Seattle Police Department, shall by rule establish standards for, at a minimum, permit eligibility, permit conditions, and permit enforcement consistent with subsections 11.23.170.B.1 and 11.23.170.B.2. 1. Permit eligibility. The rule shall establish standards addressing, at a minimum, the following as well as administrative coordination with the Human Services Department: a. The list of individuals or vehicles that are eligible to apply for a Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit. This list shall be informed by the work of the Human Services Department to establish a one-time city-wide census of individuals or vehicles in Seattle. Only individuals or vehicles identified though this city-wide census are eligible for the permit, and the program will not be made available to latecomers. b. To be granted a Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit, the applicant must be the registered owner of the vehicle permitted. c. The process and procedures for the Human Services Department and affiliated service providers to apply for a permit or support permit application on behalf of the identified eligible individuals or vehicles. This may include support programs to assist eligible applicants and vehicles meet the requirements of the permit. 2. Permit conditions. The rule shall establish standards addressing, at a minimum, the following as well as administrative coordination with the Human Services Department: a. The permitted vehicle may park in compliance with Section 11.72.440; provided that, between midnight and 6 a.m., the vehicle may park only within a geographic service area stated in the permit. b. Geographic service areas shall be located within Industrial zones according to Title 23, designated to facilitate the assignment of outreach teams from the Department of Human Services or others contracted by the city, and located at least 500 feet, measured as a straight line, from any lot line of property on which any of the following sensitive land uses is located: elementary school, secondary school, preschool, child care center, organized athletics area, also known as a playfield, designated children's play area, also known as a playground, beach, or community center. Geographic service areas shall reflect distinct subregions of the Industrial zones to effectuate consistent contact between permit holders and outreach providers. c. The term of the permit issued and renewal review cycle, to be determined in consultation with the Department of Human Services, which shall allow for up to six offers to participate in a Safe Lot, Shelter Storage, shelter, or housing program to be made to the permit holder. d. The permit holder shall remain certified by the Human Services Department. The Human Services Department shall manage the certification list to verify that the permit holder remains engaged with a City, or City-contracted, caseworker and is on a waitlist for Safe Lot, Shelter Storage, shelter or housing program. The certification list shall track when an offer has been made to the permit holder to participate in a Safe Lot, Shelter Storage, shelter, or housing program. If a program participant turns down offers of appropriate shelter six times, then the participant’s permit will be revoked. e. The permitted vehicle must have displayed license plates. f. The permitted vehicle must have the vehicle identification number visible from outside of the vehicle. g. The permitted vehicle shall not block sidewalks or parking strips. h. The permit holder shall comply with the City’s noise ordinance. i. The permit holder and vehicle occupants shall leave no trash, nor store personal belongings, including generators, on any street, alley, sidewalk, or planting strip. j. The permit holder and vehicle occupants shall not discharge gray water or black water onto any street, alley, sidewalk or planting strip. k. The permit holder and vehicle occupants shall not host groups of five or more people at the location of the permitted vehicle or adjacent to the vehicle. l. The permit holder and vehicle occupants shall supervise pets and not leave animals tied up unattended on any street, alley, sidewalk, or planting strip. m. The permit holder and vehicle occupants shall comply with all laws. 3. Permit enforcement. The rule shall establish standards addressing, at a minimum, the following as well as administrative coordination with the Seattle Police Department and the Human Services Department: a. The process and procedures for the Seattle Police Department to enforce the terms of the permit. b. The process and procedures for the Human Services Department to document and report violations of the terms of the permit, initiate revocation of the permit, and assist in reviewing appeals of permit revocation decisions. c. The process and procedures for the Seattle Department of Transportation, Seattle Police Department, and the Human Services Department to manage work and communications across departments related to the Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit program. C. Violations. Violations of any of the terms of the Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit may result in a loss of permit and removal from future eligibility for the permit. D. Appeals of permit revocation. Permit holders will be notified of their permit revocation 15 calendar days before the revocation goes into effect. During that time, the permit holder can appeal the permit revocation to the Director of the Seattle Department of Transportation, who shall consider such appeal after consultation with the Human Services Department. The request shall identify the decision for which review or reconsideration is requested and the objection(s) to the decision. The Director shall designate a review officer, who shall make a recommendation to the Director. The Director may stay implementation of a decision pending review or reconsideration. The Director's decision on review or reconsideration shall be final. Section 6. Section 11.23.440 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 127102, is amended as follows: 11.23.440 Parking privileges((.)) No person shall be granted a franchise, special privilege, or permit to the exclusion of any other person for parking vehicles on any roadway, except for the following uses: * * * C. The Director may approve Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits pursuant to Section 11.23.170. Section 7. Section 11.30.040 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 127102, is amended as follows: 11.30.040 When a vehicle may be impounded without prior notice A. A vehicle may be impounded with or without citation and without giving prior notice to its owner as required in Section 11.30.060 only under the following circumstances: 1. When the vehicle is impeding or is likely to impede the normal flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic. 2. When the vehicle is illegally occupying a music venue zone, truck, commercial load zone, restricted parking zone, bus, loading, hooded-meter, taxi, street construction or maintenance, or other similar zone where, by order of the Director of Transportation or Chiefs of Police or Fire or their designees, parking is limited to designated classes of vehicles or is prohibited during certain hours, on designated days or at all times, if the zone has been established with signage for at least 24 hours giving notice that a vehicle will be removed if illegally parked in the zone and where such vehicle is interfering with the proper and intended use of such zones. 3. When a vehicle without a special license plate, card, or decal indicating that the vehicle is being used to transport a disabled person as defined under chapter 46.16A RCW, as ((now or hereafter)) amended, is parked in a stall or space clearly and conspicuously marked as provided in subsection 11.72.065.A, ((as now or hereafter amended,)) whether the space is provided on private property without charge or on public property. 4. When the vehicle poses an immediate danger to the public safety. 5. When a police officer has probable cause to believe that the vehicle is stolen. 6. When a police officer has probable cause to believe that the vehicle constitutes evidence of a crime or contains evidence of a crime, if impoundment is reasonably necessary in such instance to obtain or preserve such evidence. 7. When a vehicle is parked in a public right-of-way or on other publicly owned or controlled property and there are four or more parking infractions issued against the vehicle for each of which a person has failed to respond, failed to appear at a requested hearing, or failed to pay a parking infraction for at least 45 days from the date of the filing of the notice of infraction. 8. When the vehicle is a "junk motor vehicle" as defined in Section 11.14.268, and is parked on a street, alley, or way open to the public, or on municipal or other public property and the vehicle does not have a Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit pursuant to Section 11.23.170. 9. When the vehicle is impounded pursuant to subsection 11.30.105.A, but if the vehicle is a commercial vehicle and the driver is not the registered owner of the vehicle, then the police officer shall attempt in a reasonable and timely manner to contact the registered owner before impounding the vehicle and may release the vehicle to the registered owner if the registered owner is reasonably available, was not in the vehicle at the time it was stopped and the driver arrested, and has not received a prior release under this subsection 11.30.040.A.9 or subsection 11.30.120.C.2. 10. When a vehicle with an expired registration of more than 45 days is parked on a public street. 11. When the vehicle is impounded pursuant to Section 12A.10.115 or RCW 9A.88.140. 12. When the vehicle is impounded pursuant to RCW 46.55.360. 13. When the vehicle is impounded pursuant to subsection 18.12.235.B. 14. Upon determining that a person restricted to use of only a motor vehicle equipped with a functioning ignition interlock device is operating a motor vehicle that is not equipped with such a device in violation of subsection 11.56.350.A. 15. When the vehicle is parked in violation of subsection 11.72.071.A. B. Nothing in this ((section)) Section 11.30.040 shall be construed to authorize seizure of a vehicle without a warrant where a warrant would otherwise be required. Section 8. Section 11.72.070 of the Seattle Municipal Code, last amended by Ordinance 123420, is amended as follows: 11.72.070 Commercial and large size vehicles((.)) No person shall park a vehicle on any street or alley, except in an Industrial ((Zone)) zone as defined in Title 23, between the hours of midnight and ((six ())6(())) a.m. if the vehicle is a truck or trailer, and/or other conveyance, ((which is)) over ((eighty ())80(())) inches wide. This Section 11.72.070 does not apply to motor homes or travel trailers, which are governed by Section 11.72.071. Section 9. A new Section 11.72.071 is added to the Seattle Municipal Code as follows: 11.72.071 Motor homes and travel trailers A. Effective April 30, 2027, and except as provided in subsection 11.72.071.B, no person shall park a motor home or a travel trailer on any street or alley for more than two hours or for any length of time between midnight and 6 a.m. A motor home or travel trailer found to be in violation of this subsection 11.72.071.A may be impounded without prior notice. B. A holder of a valid Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit issued under Section 11.23.170 may park a permitted motor home or travel trailer, subject to official signs and the conditions of the permit. When parked between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m., the permitted motor home or travel trailer may only park in an Industrial zone according to Title 23 and within the geographic service area established by the permit. Section 10. The City will create a process for receiving, processing, and maintaining Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit applications pursuant to Section 4 of this ordinance by April 30, 2027. Enforcement of Section 11.72.071 of the Seattle Municipal Code shall commence by July 31, 2027. Section 11. It is the Council’s intent that upon the effective date of this legislation, the Executive, in collaboration with the City Council, shall convene a Vehicle Residency Implementation Review Workgroup, with representation from the Seattle Department of Transportation, the Human Services Department, the Seattle Police Department, the City Budget Office, contracted outreach providers, and Central Staff. The workgroup should: A. Assess program readiness, including the status of permit processing systems, staffing capacity, outreach coordination, mapping and designation of geographic service areas, and public communications. B. Review enforcement protocols, including equitable application of impound authority, interdepartmental coordination, and alignment with the intent of the legislation to prioritize outreach and case management before enforcement actions. Protocols should address a reasonable process by which a vehicle resident has an opportunity to address compliance issues before having their permit revoked while also maintaining the integrity of the permit requirements. Protocols should also address the process by which vehicles will receive violation warnings before being impounded. C. Identify required operational adjustments to ensure that the Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit program functions as intended, including any recommended revisions to administrative rules, outreach practices, enforcement sequencing, data reporting, or public‑facing guidance. D. Recommend a standardized definition of “appropriate shelter” to ensure consistent application across departments and contracted providers. E. Provide a summary of findings and recommended adjustments to the City Council on or before March 1, 2027 so that both the Executive and Council have the opportunity to incorporate changes that support predictable implementation and minimize unintended impacts on vehicle residents and surrounding communities. F. Conduct a census that will at a minimum, determine the number of eligible permit applicants (i.e., registered owners of the vehicles in which they are residing), as well as how many otherwise ineligible individuals/vehicles there may be. The census should also include questions to help The City determine what services and shelter/housing options are most needed for the population that will be served by this program. Further, the Executive should submit a report on the results of the city-wide census to the City Council’s Human Services, Labor & Economic Development Committee (or successor committee). Section 12. Beginning June 1, 2028, the Executive shall provide an annual written report to the City Council Public Safety Committee (or successor committee) on the Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit Program. The annual report shall include the following information: 1. Number of applications for Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits received; 2. Number of Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits issued; 3. Number of Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits rejected, and reason permit was rejected; 4. Geographic location and number of approved Vehicle Resident Assistance permits broken down by City Council District; 5. Number of Vehicle Resident Assistance permit holders who accepted offers of shelter, safe lot, or housing placement and timing of when the permits were issued and when the offers of shelter, safe lot, or housing placement were accepted; 6. Number of Vehicle Resident Assistance permit holders who declined offers of shelter and, if possible, the stated reasons why offers of shelter were declined, and the number of times offers of shelter were declined by individual permit holders and timing of when permits were issued and when offers of shelter, safe lot or housing placement were declined; 7. Number and type of violations issued for non-compliance with Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit; 8. Number of Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits revoked and reason for revocation, i.e. due to declining shelter offer, violations of permit (including number for each reason); 9. Number of Vehicle Resident Assistance Permit holders in shelter, safe lot, housing and average length of stay for these permit holders in each (if available); 10. Demographic information for those who applied for Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits, broken down by those with approved Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits, and those who were rejected for Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits; and 11. Other available information from Homeless Management Information System on approved Vehicle Resident Assistance Permits holders and or those who applied for permits. Section 13. The provisions of this ordinance are declared to be separate and severable. The invalidity of any clause, sentence, paragraph, subdivision, section, or portion of this ordinance, or the invalidity of its application to any person or circumstance, does not affect the validity of the remainder of this ordinance or the validity of its application to other persons or circumstances. This ordinance shall take effect as provided by Seattle Municipal Code Sections 1.04.020 and 1.04.070. Passed by the City Council and signed in open session in authentication of its passage on /. President / of the City Council / on /. Katie B. Wilson, Mayor Attested on /. Lenné Dedman, City Clerk Seal