Santa Monica Police Step Up Enforcement on Overnight Bus and RV Violations at Beach Parking Lots

Santa Monica Police traffic officers were seen inventorying RVs and buses parked overnight at Lot 4 and 5 near Santa Monica Beach on Tuesday, November 11, 2024, in preparation for issuing citations. Parking regulations at the lot prohibit vehicles from staying between sundown and sunrise, yet enforcement has become a growing challenge as the lot has turned into a hub for RV and bus owners, including participants in an ongoing protest. The protest, organized by Emory Rodgers, founder of the Homeless Advocacy for a Constitutional Convention (HACC), began on October 29, 2024. Rodgers, who previously ran for U.S. Senate in California, has received multiple citations for his bus, which he parks overnight in the lot despite city regulations. Rodgers frames the protest as a constitutional exercise of First Amendment rights and a stand against systemic inequities that he says marginalize unhoused individuals and perpetuate societal injustice. In addition to protest-related activity, other RV and bus owners using the lot have explained their reasons for parking overnight. Santa Monica Closeup photojournalist Fabian Lewkowicz spoke with a couple residing in a bus who shared their perspective. They said they prefer to pay the $63 parking fine rather than move to an RV campsite, citing the lot’s affordability and safety compared to other options. Many of the RV and bus owners are remote workers traveling across the country and using the lot as a temporary base. While most drivers reportedly pay their fines promptly, city officials have indicated they may escalate enforcement efforts, including towing vehicles for repeat violations or unpaid citations. Residents have expressed frustration over the use of the lot for overnight parking, particularly as it has become a focal point for the HACC protest. Some community members have taken to social media to urge stricter enforcement, while others criticize the lack of immediate action. Rodgers, who has parked his bus overnight as part of the protest, remains undeterred. "We are not enemies of the police or anyone else—we’re simply trying to create a more just and cooperative society," he said, emphasizing that the protest highlights deeper systemic issues beyond the parking violations themselves. The Santa Monica Police Department has yet to release a statement regarding its enforcement plans for public parking at the beach lots As tensions persist, the city faces increasing pressure to address the situation while balancing the concerns of residents, activists, and transient RV and bus owners.