SPOKANE, Wash. — If you’re seeing more and more junked and abandoned RVs in your neighborhood, you’re not alone.
The City of Spokane has identified dozens of rundown RVs that need to be removed from streets across the city.
However, the city is facing a major roadblock in its efforts to remove them.
Unlike abandoned cars, dismantling RVs does not generate revenue, leaving towing companies with significant costs and reluctant to remove them.
“[To remove, it can cost] several thousand dollars per unit, and it’s all going to vary. There’s some that are going to be more expensive based on the size and the amount of solid waste that’s present,” said Luis Garcia, Spokane’s Director of Code Enforcement.
In response to these costs, the state of Washington introduced a fee in 2018 with RV registrations to help cover disposal expenses, reimbursing towing companies for their efforts.
These funds are currently on hold, pending legislative action.
“We’re waiting to see how the funding is replenished,” Garcia said.
In the meantime, the City of Spokane is working to reduce its reliance on state assistance.
On Monday night, the council approved an additional $125,000 to address the issue of removing rundown RVs.
The funding enables the city to start tackling some of the abandoned RVs soon.
The city encourages residents to report any of these vehicles to 3-1-1 so they can be addressed by the city.
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