I am resurrecting this old thread to update everyone on the impact of the closure of El Toro RV Storage has had on the industry.
While it took quite a bit longer for the actual closure of El Toro to happen, it did in fact close in 2015
Article in OC Register What was surprising, was the impact initially was virtually nil. Very few people panicked, and most of the 2200 RV's did find a home, even if only temporary.
It wasn't until the summer of 2016 when the RV Storage problem hit the fan. Myself and other fellow RV storage operators were overwhelmed with calls from frustrated people seeking storage for their RV. We were sold out, and most all other storage facilities had no vacancy. We stopped putting people on the waiting list as we simply were not experiencing any vacancies at all, and none were expected. Resale prices on the storage condos doubled in value.
The partial solution found by some were private parties advertising RV storage on vacant lots, the side of their house, and other solutions. However, California being California, the various cities soon put a stop to that via code enforcement.
Fast forward a few years to today, with the surge in RV sales, and the overall recovery of the economy, the calls I am getting from some people are not frustrated, but now they are angry, bordering on scared. Some just bought a new RV, and cannot find storage. They cannot park it on the street or at their house (in some cases).
Granted, this is probably a Southern California anomaly, compounded by the lack of storage facilities, and the rapid growth of the RV industry, coupled with the El Toro closure. It is a recipe for extreme frustration for many.
As a developer of RV storage condominiums, we do have the solution, but it takes 3 years, from lot purchase to construction completion. In California, some areas can take over 4 years. Further, land values in Orange County are near 4 million an acre. Way too expensive to even consider building in Orange County. The solution? It is looking like RV storage may be limited to areas outside of Orange County, such as Riverside and other more inland areas. Even those areas are getting prohibitively expensive, never mind the red tape the cities require for building and the time required for entitlement.
It is a true problem, that may only be solved by the next recession or $6 per gallon gas.
