D.T. Carson
Pastor Jeffrey Lewis is at his wit’s end. He contends that the RV encampment around his church, New Antioch Church of God in Christ—located on the corner of Vermont and 79th— is out of control.
“We’re one block from a school and to see kids daily have to walk through filthy sidewalks and pass right by individuals engaging in drug and human trafficking is so disgraceful,” Lewis said. “What makes it worse is when we call for help, we’re passed from department to department and it seems as if no one is willing to take responsibility. South Los Angeles is in crisis and we need help.”
Elim Los Angeles, one of the city’s largest Latino congregations, is having the same problem at their South L.A. church that was once home to Greater Bethany (now City of Refuge).
Speaking for the church, Luis Munoz, reported that they, too, had reached out to city officials to no avail.
“We have called and there is no response. Nothing has been done,” Munoz said.
Both churches are among the growing number of churches dealing first-hand with the troubling issue of how to have the unsightly RVs moved from the streets surrounding their churches.
A 2020 Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority report estimated that there were over 9,000 individuals living in vehicles, including RVs, within the city limits. To that end, the emergence of Recreational Vehicles (RVs) parked in front of churches has become an escalating concern. From obstructing the view of architectural and historical church fronts and passageways to creating sanitation and parking problems for congregants, the presence of RVs is disrupting the peaceful ambiance and sanctity associated with these religious spaces and elevating the concern for safety.
In a May 24, 2023 letter to L.A. City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson that was signed by representatives of eight-area churches—including Crenshaw Christian Center, Elim L.A. Church and 88th Street Temple COGIC, Lewis wrote, “the issue that needs to be considered are the individuals living in those vehicles and tents have no place to relieve themselves nor to deposit their litter, thus they use the sidewalks. There is one RV that I have called 311, your office and the City of LA and noted how our children, on their way to school, must walk through trash, feces and drug paraphernalia daily. To date, nothing has been done.”
Some churches, trying to balance compassion with community obligations, find themselves in a difficult position, given that the RVs are used by those unable to find affordable housing—an issue that they’ve been called on by new Mayor Karen Bass to assist with.
Bass is calling for a holistic approach that provides safe temporary locations for the RVs, while also connecting residents with crucial resources to transition towards stable, permanent housing.
“Moving these RVs from sight is not the solution to the problem, it’s merely sweeping it under the rug,” Mayor Bass has stated. “We must tackle the roots of this crisis, and that means addressing our city’s affordable housing shortage head-on. Our focus should be on creating more affordable housing units and providing support for those living in these makeshift homes, not just on removing the RVs from our streets.”
The L.A. City Council is also actively addressing the RV situation, identifying solutions that balance the needs of both the RV dwellers and homeowners. Measures under consideration include the establishment of designated RV parking areas with access to necessary amenities, such as water and waste disposal. The council is also exploring partnerships with non-profit organizations providing support for individuals living in RVs.
In the meantime, pastors like Lewis continue to seek solutions and have banded together to forge a plan that they hope will result in greater cooperation from city officials to resolve the problem.