Research shows that people living in RVs want permanent housing but are hesitant to give up their biggest asset for a temporary shelter stay. Berkeley just closed a lonstanding encampme...

In January 2025, the City of Berkeley launched an innovative program to resolve the 2nd Street encampment by combining a low-barrier motel shelter with cash payments for residents’ RVs. Outreach workers built trust and tailored policies—allowing pets, partners, and friends—to boost participation. So far, 36 people and 26 animals have moved into the Capri Motel, and only three RVs remain on site. “The city designed this to really gain people’s trust and to make sure that people were not left worse off than they were when they started,” said Dr. Margot Kushel, calling the program “quite innovative.” BHHI is independently evaluating its impacts to inform future strategies.

In January 2025, the City of Berkeley launched an effort to resolve a longstanding encampment at 2nd and Cedar Street, where most residents lived in oversized vehicles (primarily RVs). The City offered to buy oversized vehicles from residents and provided low-barrier non-congregate shelter with enhanced case management. Residents could choose to participate in one part of the program or both. At the City’s request, the UCSF Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative (BHHI) is conducting a scientifically rigorous, independent evaluation to understand what works, what doesn’t, and how future programs can better support people as they move from encampments into shelter and housing.

A new BHHI report sheds light an oft-misunderstood subpopulation of unhoused people.

BHHI conducted in-depth interviews with 48 people living in their vehicles in Oakland. This report sheds light on the needs and challenges of vehicle residents and provides recommendations on how the city can better serve that population.