Advocating for Families in RV’s, One Door at a Time

This is part two of our blog series focusing on families sheltering in vehicles throughout San Francisco. This post highlights the outreach and surveying Compass is currently conducting. Additional posts will cover Compass’ advocacy and support of vehicularly housed families and amplify their voices.  

Figure 1 Yessica Hernandez Grijalva knocks on an RV door, to survey the family’s needs and let them know about services that are available to them. 

Yessica Hernandez Grijalva, a Bilingual Policy Associate at Compass Family Services, called out to RV residents while knocking on the doors of over 50 Recreational Vehicles (RVs): 

“Hola, mi nombre es Yessica y soy de Compass Family Services. 

Hello, my name is Yessica and I am from Compass Family Services. 

We are surveying families!” 

In one RV, a Portuguese-speaking father asked questions about the outreach materials taped on doors earlier that day. He shared his fears about how the changing rules would affect his family and was eager to learn more about Compass’ services. 

Up the street, a mother, father, and toddler excitedly greeted Yessica. She had met with them previously and told them about how families can access services at Compass or other access points. The family reported that they had come to Compass, signed up for housing, and had even participated in housing workshops.  

Compass’ outreach to families living in vehicles was originally planned to ensure that undercounted families would be included in the January 2026 Point in Time Count (PIT). Similar efforts before the 2024 PIT Count helped document the 97.6% increase in homeless families since 2022. 

The recent changes in large vehicle parking laws shifted the focus of many of Yessica’s conversations with RV residents.  Families are eager learn more about the new parking laws, permitting, and how they can engage in advocacy at community meetings. Compass helps with weekly meetings that support RV residents, in partnership with the End Poverty Tows Coalition.  

Outreach and surveying of families will be conducted over coming weeks. Compass will also conduct a focus group to learn additional information about the prevention, care and support families living in vehicles need. 

A mother of two elementary aged children shared information with Yessica about her family’s dreams while sitting on the steps of their RV. Their excited puppy eagerly played in the grass nearby. The children ran, danced and played in the grass.  Compass’ outreach seeks to ensure that families understand their rights, know how to access services and have more time to play on a beautiful day.