If you live in or have ever visited some of the major cities in the Western United States, you’ve likely noticed the phenomenon of RV-lined streets. In many cases, financially strained residents with no other option occupy these RVs. While they may not be “homeless” in the traditional sense, they certainly don’t have a physical location to consistently park at.
Since COVID began, this situation has grown exponentially worse. Los Angeles alone has seen a 40% increase in homeless RV dwellers since 2018, now accounting for 22% of the unsheltered population. California isn’t alone in this either, as multiple jurisdictions in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and other states have had to deal with similar issues.
Recently, various cities around the country have begun to enforce parking laws or outright bans on RVs to remedy the issue. The implications can mean quite a bit for the greater RV community.
Here is some of the most recent action taken against RV parking and the effects it could have on the RV community.
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A look at the recent RV parking crackdown across the country
Mountain View, California
Mountain View has been the subject of conflict between city residents and illegally parked RVs for years. In 2019, two ordinances were passed by the city that prohibited oversized vehicles from parking on narrow streets or streets with bike lanes. The ordinances were challenged in court by plaintiffs claiming the laws were unconstitutional. Critics worried that large numbers of already disenfranchised RV dwellers would be forced to relocate.
After resolving the lawsuit in September, the city set out to begin enforcing parking. As of October 1, law enforcement began ticketing offending vehicles, giving them 72 hours to move their vehicles. The city also designated 3 miles of road for vehicle dwellers to park legally.
Olympia, Washington
In Olympia, Ensign Road has consistently been a popular place for homeless RVers to park, and in many cases, not move again. A variety of issues cropped up because of this, most of them concerning waste disposal. The city implemented a permitting process for all individuals residing on the street. This was a requirement if they wished to stay on Ensign.
When applying for a permit, RV dwellers must agree to a set of conditions. These included:
- No violent behavior
- One lawn chair outside per person
- Proper disposal of human waste and trash
Olympia’s Homeless Response Coordinator Kim Kondrat remarked that the permits were not an invitation for vehicle dwellers to stay on Ensign Road permanently.
Los Angeles, California
The homeless problem in Los Angeles is no secret. The city has a variety of bans for oversized vehicles, but enforcement has been nonexistent. On the West side, hundreds of RVs line the streets, many not moving for months on end.
To combat this, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority and Department of Transportation are devising a strategy to get these people off the streets. Possible solutions included moving people into interim housing and incentivizing individuals to scrap their RVs once housing has been secured. Other options include designating an “RV safe space,” where RVs can park for 24 hours away from the public eye.
After relocating RV dwellers, the city would begin enforcing its parking restrictions more thoroughly.
Mesa County, Colorado
In the desert surrounding Grand Junction, many RVs have set up a permanent camp. Mesa County has grown sick of this and implemented an ordinance that would make doing so illegal, and subject to fines. The County reserves the right to impound these vehicles if they don’t relocate off the land in time.
The County clarifies that they aren’t intending to make residing in an RV illegal. Instead, they want to focus on the malpractices that come with it, including illegal waste dumping.
How this affects “non-homeless” RVing: Personal observations
In my personal travels, I’ve noticed firsthand how irresponsible RVing can have an impact on the way I explore the country. While I live full-time in my truck camper completely by choice, I often find myself wanting to utilize the same public spaces for a quick one-night stop that the homeless RV population now uses.
Unfortunately, there are now no overnight parking signs in many locations that were previously friendly to travelers. I can count multiple spots right off the top of my head:
- Highway 1: This one is quite disappointing. Highway 1 used to be a quintessential RV road trip. There are hundreds of pull-outs along the highway offering scenic overviews of the ocean that many people used for a one-night stay while traveling. This isn’t the case anymore. Most of the highway pullouts now have banned overnight parking, particularly in popular areas like Malibu and Big Sur. It forced me to occasionally travel 20 miles inland to find a legal spot for the night.
- Ski towns: Many ski towns like Breckenridge, Jackson, and Mammoth Lakes used to be quite friendly to the average ski bum. Now, most of these towns have implemented restrictions on overnight parking. What used to be a laid-back, understanding culture has now become a hostile attitude towards people that wish to “bum it” in search of powder. I believe much of this has been influenced by perceptions of the homeless epidemic across the country.
- Walmart: Historically, Walmarts everywhere accepted overnight RV stays. Many RVers relied on them as their go-to stop between destinations. Now, however, many Walmarts across the country have resorted to banning overnight parking. This is largely due to unsavory individuals setting up more permanent camps in their parking lots.
Conclusion
If you’re the average boondocker, free overnight parking is the lifeblood of your travels. Without it, you’re forced to find accommodation at expensive RV parks, many of which are fully booked. If cities around the country continue to implement laws forbidding overnight stays, the days of unplanned adventure and travel will quickly come to an end.
Do you see urban boondocking returning to what it used to be? Or are the changes to nomadic RVing permanent?
##RVT1081b
You not crazy. You just lazy!
Blame it on the Democrats. Blame it on the Republicans. Blame it on the Libertarians. Blame it on the public schools. Blame it on your parents. Blame it on God!
Just don’t take any responsibility for your decisions, and actions (or rather inactions).
Life requires effort. You get out of it, what you put into it. For those who are truly disabled (mentally, and/or physically) there are assistance programs (government, and faith based). Accessing them requires some effort. The chronically homeless either choose to be (it requires the least amount of effort), or are incapable of making good decisions by/for themselves. For both groups society is burdened with the consequences. As such, society must find the solutions. The problem in doing so “infringes” on the rights of individuals. And in the good ol’ US of A we all have the RIGHT to be crazy, and live as we choose, regardless of how it adversely affects the individual, or others.
We can thank Ronald Reagan for this problem beginning, since neither party has done enough to assist or in solving our homeless population who the majority are our veterans. So much for no soldiers left behind as we have failed our veterans and the mentally ill . No thanks to wealthy corporations who find no responsibility to assist with a solution.
This is always voiced as a homeless issue. Yes there are some that cant afford housing but the vast majority are drug addicts and mentally ill. There are also those that just dont want to “live in society”. Regardless to which group you fall into you shouldn’t be allowed to overtake any neighborhood or community you wish. .
People need to be responsible for themselves. If you are truly mentally ill you need to seek treatment. Society need to be better at helping. But there is big business in allowing the problem. There are politicians that thrive on being compassionate without helping. In the mean time the homeless suffer and inflict damage on the community.
The homeless need to be given the option of treatment as the only way to really get out of the hole they are in or incarceration.
Thank you for offering a voice of reason Mike. Homeless drug addicted living in broken down RVs is not “off the grid” living. It is not boondocking. Forced treatment is the inevitable direction this goes. The mentally ill are not in a place where they can choose treatment on there own. They will need to be committed to mental health facilities or forced into treatment facilities. The forced treatment of citizens is unfortunately where the civil liberty police draw the line and that is why the problem has grown exponentially for the last several years. Unless we can force treatment on the drug addicted or mentally ill, this only gets worse until society crumbles completely. The good of the many and society needs to be the standard. Civil rights of homeless drug addicts should not trump the civil rights of the community well being. Prosecute them or commit them indefinitely.
If the police can tow and impound a passenger vehicle for no valid registration or insurance, or broken tail lights or any other of a hundred vehicle violations, then the problem should be solved almost immediately. Oh, it’s not that easy? Yes it is. If you allow a bad behavior of any type then yiu are encouraging it. Allow theft, expect more thefts. Allow knifings, expect more knifings. Don’t prosecute shoplifting, you get more shoplifting. Don’t remove dilapidated RVs from a street, get more dilapidated RVs on that street. Give away syringes, get more drug addicts. Allow homeless encampment, get more or a bigger encampment. A 10 tear old understands this condition of human behavior
It’s so freakin easy. Hit reverse on softpolicy and handle it. Hire a prosecutor that prosecutes. OMG idiots in charge.
It’s a vehicle. Obey all traffic laws and your good to go. No valid plates, lose your vehicle until you get them. Broken tail light, get a tcket. Park it illegally, get it towed. C’mon Man, even Cornpop could have solved this problem.
Bye now, hate to go.
PS Good luck in California, Oregon, and Washington. Hmmmmm, all west coast strongholds of liberal Marxism. Naaa it’s probably just a coincidence?
Covid did bring on a lot of the problems for all RVers, but it the 20% of those who maybe homeless are ruining the idea of boomdocking for travelers with the trash, waste and disrespect for the free stay on someone else’s property ie Wal-Mart, I am a recent retiree and the situation of Boomdocking while traveling may be hindered now due to that 20%.
Absolutely correct. The few ruin it for the many. Gov’t catering to the few, to the homeless, to the addicted, etc has made it worse and now the rule followers are stuck with it. Sorry, but you are correct. Welcome to the future, Orwell had it right. Ayn Rand too maybe.
Hmm. So people have found a way to live off grid, legally owning an RV because government has made housing unaffordable for them. So to get even, let’s start giving out tickets so we can make back money? Stupid. Won’t be long before the government finds a way to start taxing the hell out of RV owners like they do everything else.
I wouldn’t exactly call homeless living in dilapidated RVs on Los Angeles or San Francisco city streets for weeks or months at a time without moving and dumping raw sewage into the streets while panhandling on the street corners, “living off the grid.”
Most are self contained and don’t simply drop raw sewage. It’s obvious you never owned an actual rv. Many of those folks are also retired on a fixed income. They aren’t all pan handling. They just kuve as cheap as they can.
Some even have regular jobs as well but can afford the 2500 to 4000 dollar a month rent on less then 4000 a month income! I knew a public school teacher forced to live in an rv because her paycheck wasn’t enough to rent an over priced apartment in the area.
Democrats started this issue by creating large programs to subsidize rent for lower income which brought more people into the market which put upward pressure on housing costs.
The problem could be solved if California relaxed some housing regulations to spur more housing being built. Unfortunately the regulations make it difficult to build in the majority of that state.
I agree, the Democrats caused it. I have owned a Class A for the past 17 years and I have over nighted in Walmart parking lots. I have boondocked in the AZ desert. The issues are seperate and we need to not conflate the 2 issues. It is the homeless few in the dilapidated, unregistered, uninsured, unroad worthy units parked for weeks upon weeks that are making it tough for the working class boondockers. They do dump raw waste and they are a health hazard to all communities they populate from LA to SF. I am saying put them in the desert encampment. They don’t work. They pay no tax. They are leaches. They are victims of themselves and each other.
You are absolutely right! The people that are unregistered uninsured falling apart RVs and have no jobs just smooching off people should have designated areas only for them. But others that are forced to live and there are RVs because they are on social security or disability and have a fixed income but still need to live near family and some types of part-time work should also have a designated areas for them as well. And I don’t mean way the hell out in the desert! Because I am one of them disabled and forced to live in my RV and the people around me in the city I have grown up in many years of the people look at me everyday like I’m a low life! I am not living in the RV by choice that’s for sure! But having these people everyday making my life even harder than it already is and especially more uncomfortable than it is need to mind their business and not associate people that are trying to get on their feet or people that are just on low income and cannot afford these outrageous rental prices that are government has allowed landlords to charge. And by the way most of the reason why people leave their trash and dump their sewage even though it is not right it is because business owners homeowners but mostly business owners do not allow access to their dumpster to throw a couple bags of trash or have locks on their water supply which I understand cost money. But at the same time being on a fixed income I have no problem offering any business some money for so many gallons of water. But they continually decline thinking I’m going to try to live there the rest of my life and use their water or trash cans or something. And they also try to act like people like me are the reason why there is crime in the area or things coming up missing from their home or businesses and the trash left around is all because of people living in RVs. That is not true at all people that have low income like myself do try to keep it clean and also try and fix problems on their RV so they do not leak sewage or water things like that but there you go again there are too many {bleeped} Karen’s in the world! They all keep calling the police and cause more problems for people that are already poor by giving them fines and things like that that’s what pushes them further and further away from possible getting into a home or apartment or rent a room because you’re always moving your RV every 3 days and gas is too {bleeped} expensive so you’re spending all your money on gas and traveling to dump your waste and trash and traveling to fill up your water it would be much simpler if the counties and government just came up with a cost efficient way for these people like myself to dwell in a parking lot with those kind of hookups with a low monthly pay. And these stupid laws and rules like your RV could only come into a 28-day rental spot but it has to be a 2000 or newer and also there are charging way to effing much! They are charging the same amount you would pay to rent a room or possibly a cheap apartment when you have to pay $900 a month or over a thousand just to park your RV that is totally uncalled for and just show signs of greed. Too many people always trying to capitalize or use homeless or low income people for their own personal gain such as having them work for very little money jobs that no one else wants to do and when you are done working for them they expect you to take off never come back stuff like that. Our government and county officials need to stop pocketing all our tax money and by the way I do pay taxes every time I buy gas food soda whatever from the markets I am paying taxes!! I just want to make it clear your opinion on putting them in the desert is completely uncalled for I believe that would be okay for hardened criminals. But not for people that are just trying to survive day by day on low income. It’s not my fault I became disabled I was making very good money in my twenties as a journeyman plumber and have worked hard all my life and I continue to do so every day living out here on the streets is hard work and very stressful on the body brain and I help people all around me helping them fix their cars or clean up their mess I go out of my way many times to help others and yet continue to get the stink eye from the same people I am helping or their neighbors. It’s not fair or even right for people that are homeowners or live in a home or apartment whatever to judge people like me and put them in a category of thieves murderers rapists and criminals! And if our government does not do something soon like lower these {bleeped} rental prices and their qualifications of making three times the {bleeped} rant and stuff like that your credit has to be outrageously high or stuff like that. My credit was never established I have no credit and people say that’s worse than having bad credit. I see that now which is totally wrong if I don’t owe anybody money then why the hell should you not rent me a room or apartment just because I have no credit does not make any sense? These qualifications are out of hand and out of control along with the prices on renting any apartment or a room to live in especially when 750 or $800 only leaves you with $250 for the month just to live in a roach infested dumpy apartment or even in someone’s home that is horribly ran down and the law says they don’t have to fix it up all things have to provide is a toilet and essentials crap like that it’s not fair to the poor or low income they see no way out of the situation that they are forced into so they give up and become what all the people accused them of. They have no respect for where they are staying and dump wherever they want and personally I don’t blame them but I choose to stay away from those types so I don’t look like that but I don’t blame them being frustrated and given up on any kind of help. You cannot give someone a place to live and expect them as a grown adult to not be able to drink a few beers or have to be inside the building by 10:00 a clock is totally ridiculous and uncalled for do that to the people that are addicts. And you don’t House people like me with drug addicts and {bleeped} offenders and criminals of all kinds that is just not right
Thank you Gil for such a thoughtful reply to my many rants. Clearly you do not fall into the criminal element or the drug addicted demographic I am being tough on. Your circumstances are unfortunately part of the collateral damage created by the criminal, drug addicted faction of our shared society. It is not the capitalists or park owners that created such a dark place for our communities. It is the voters that created this by continually expecting big brother to fix the social ills of society. The answer is self reliance and unfortunately it is a generation away at best. If we don’t Crack down now, it will just get worse. Govt needs to Prosecute criminals and Lock them up and stop pretending they are the victims. Then we can start existing in peace together again with a love your neighbor attitude and offer a helping hand with trash, water and even some sewer.
It’s not you or me, we just pay the price.
Sorry, I simply do not see how preaching “self reliance” to people is going to prevent them from being drug addicts or mentally ill. My view is that we need to start at the source. Treat everyone right from the very beginning. Most of these mentally ill drug addicts started out in abusive homes where they did not get the love they needed. Capitalism is part of the problem because it rewards making money even if children and other vulnerable people suffer. Yes we must lock up the ones who are a danger. but let’s also look at the source and stop producing people who end up being a danger.
So you think the Democrats caused it? And your solution is to build more housing? That would bring in more people and cause all sorts of other problems. The real cause is the Republicans. What we need is an abortion clinic on every corner. Also, help everyone avoid pregnancy. Housing will always be either too expensive or too crowded unless we get to the core of the problem: too many people.
I must be confused, how did the Government make housing unaffordable, the only thing i can think of is interest rates.Most of these so called homeless are most likely unemployed and not credit worthy .
Ummmm, Inflation. The Fair Housing Act in the 70s and then again under in the 90s. Material shortages driving up costs due to incompetence in Washington. High energy costs to build and then to heat or cool a home thru bad energy policy. Even landlords pay mortgage interest on property. The higher a landlords interest, the higher a tenants rent. High property taxes…
Are you suggesting that the government is just an innocent spectator? They created 100% of the problem under the guise of a helping hand.
Oh Kelly, aren’t you sweet. Enjoy your Alphaghetti.
Could perhaps the fact that we in the US are adding about 3 million people every year be a factor? We are not adding more land. Supply and demand. More people, more need for housing. Either housing gets more crowded or more expensive.
I’m a bicyclist with my folding bike and camping set up,,,,, those capitalists never find me😀
What was that we heard about “paying your fair share”?
LOL. Bingo.
many of these places allow/ignore “tiny” homes… not a holding tank or sink in sight. not one word about sanitation nor code construction.
Exactly. They work to appear virtuous while ignoring practicality, then light the fire and blame the system for the carnage they create by not fixing the real problem. It’s the perfume on a pig solution.
We all need to acknowledge the there is a huge overlap between homeless issues and RV issues. While many of us are in RV’s by choice and don’t consider ourselves homeless, the increasing number of homeless vehicle dwellers has pushed a lot of new people into our space.
I’m volunteering with an organization that is trying to address this: The National Vehicle Residency Collective. We just held our first National Vehicle Residency Summit. Its strongest focus is homeless vehicle residents and decriminalizing folks whose vehicle or RV is the last thing they own, but again the issues impact many of us RV campers and full-timers. We’re working to find solutions and encourage service providers and lawmakers to help. If you’d like to learn more or join our Collective to address this situation, please visit VehicleResidency.org. We’re just starting out so our goals and mission aren’t totally clear on the website yet–it’s a work in progress!
In life we all make choices. I can’t afford to live in a Laguna Beach home for instance, so I choose to live in a more affordable community. If you are virtualy homeless in an RV, go park it in the desert somewhere and that will fit your budget and not interfere with the tax payers on a given street. In fact, if it is really an affordable housing problem, then the Gov’t should set aside 10 million acres of Mojave desert wasteland for this segment of society. If that is not tenable, then I guess the problem is not affordability. It is access to your favorite panhandling corner or your dealer.
Mojave desert? Out of sight, out of mind?
I guess that solves the problem for you but for those who you have banished to the desert… food and water might be a problem… and for the few that might have a job… the 1000 mile round trip everyday might be a problem as well…
Exactly. We can air drop provisions for cheaper than our current programs cost. It is time to clean our cities back up and stop letting the few dictate the terms the majority in our society have to put up with. I for one am over the dystopian cesspool created by making homeless encampments a civil rights issue. If your not participating, go find a cozy spot in the desert to shoot your heroin and crap on your own front porch for a while. For the 3% that have jobs, figure it out but get the 97% freeloader class of that demo out of our cities.
Why not move to the desert since you love it so much, and leave the city to the bums? You can afford to leave. Do so.
Actually, I can afford to live anywhere I want to. Beach, desert or mountains. Truth is, I should love Inflation. When costs double, profits double. When I get taxed 10% I pass on 15% to the customer. Corporations will never pay taxes, they collect taxes.
HOWEVER,
I love my country more than I love money so I fight for her and every law abiding tax paying productive member of society. LA has become a third world SH. Bubonic plague was wiped out centuries ago and is back in LA.
Tell me again how good things are on the rat infested streets of LA. Please tell me again.
Very good point I keep hearing that stupid desert comment it makes no sense to those still able to get little bit of help from friends and family in the cities they are moving them out to the desert would deem them all alone with no help from family or friends which means they probably would just save up enough money to put gas in their RV or vehicle and a group of them out in the desert homeless dwellers will take a trip back to the city just to commit crimes and other bad things
I receive very little money a month because I am disabled and forced to live in my RV I’m not a criminal I’m not a {bleeped} offender I have no credit and my income is not enough to get me in to a studio and barely enough to rent a room and I work hard not to upset anyone around me I clean constantly and am very friendly until people look at me like I’m a piece of {bleeped} and I’m pretty sure you would be one of them. Putting people in the desert only makes sense if they are low life drug addicts and do not want to work! I rather take trash out mop the floor in a restaurant do dishes whatever just to make a few extra bucks to fill my gas tank because I am constantly bothered and asked to move and have to travel far to dump my waist and trash it is people like you that keep making these outrageous things possible it makes no effing sense to travel for Miles just to dump your tank why are there not dump stations closer why is there not water supplies available to people instead of putting locks on them like a selfish son of a {bleeped} you need to rethink your answer! All I know is I continually help people everyday and have no problem putting my back and hands to work even though they are damaged from years of backbreaking work not all the homeless and RV dwellers are the same types of people! And yes it is a housing problem prices are way too high and my monthly check is way too low! I became disabled too young to established enough work credits that is why I get very little money a month I can count over 10 contractors I’ve worked for under the table before I became disabled I am here now with nothing to show for it and my back broken among other health problems because I worked for these guys and made them rich they live in million dollar homes and continue to use illegals and Americans and pay them under the table! That my friend is one of the problems of this country our government needs to crack down on these so-called contractors or employers of different job titles and make it impossible for them to have workers paid under the table and I’m sure that would stop a lot of illegals from coming across the border it would have stopped a lot of wrong things going on this world instead one of those contractors are living in your neighborhood and even nicer neighborhoods million dollar home neighborhoods and are looked at like they are God’s or great contributors of the community. That is total bull people that have gained their riches by breaking others backs and not had to pay any taxes on those workers. And by the way I paid my fair taxes every time I put gas in my RV or my vehicle and every trip to the market or home Depot or any other store that I buy merchandise I am taxed just like you and everyone else! Even though the homeless that panhandle turn around and spend it on alcohol they still pay taxes on that also. But I do find that offensive when I give one of them people some change and they buy beer or whatever with it I do not call them a taxpayer like myself and other people like yourself because that was my money in the first place or somebody else’s they didn’t work for it or earn it
Thanks again Gil. As voters, we expect different results from the same failed politicians we previously elected. We get what we vote for and unfortunately around 1/2 of us deserve what we get. I have zero sympathy for anyone voting for the current Marxists in charge that we all have to deal with. If you did not vote, or voted for a Democrat, you deserve exactly what you have. If not, you are merely collateral damage of the Marxists. You will note that the problems discussed throughout these posts, almost all the local geographic areas of concern are run by Democrats. You don’t see much of these problems in North Dakota as a state or Miami as a city. Pick a city. Chicago, 50 shootings and a dozen murders on a Saturday Miami on the other hand, 1 murder per week. Same population and density. Vote with your feet. This all sounds political but it’s not. It’s life and death.
Take your right wing political rant and pound it. tRump lost get over it. Your post come off as twisted and deranged. Your answers to problems are incredibly short sighted and political. Forcing people into the desert leaves them far from services that they need and painting these people as losers that cause problems is disingenuous at best. The problems you stated are a shortage of affordable housing and livable wage jobs. Painting democrats as the cause of this as you have done is twisted and paints you as ignorant. Yes some people have drug problems that are self inflicted problems and there is some bad behavior done by some of these individual but many homeless are victims of economic downturns or possible health concerns. Have you price rents lately? Try it some time and tell me how even people who work can afford to pay these crazy amounts.
A state-run rv park initially might sound like a hand-out… for the cynical persons out there… see it like this, you will know where all the poor are at, and they will have sewer, electric, and running water to stay clean to the minimum human standards or better… I like this due to personal choice being more available… you get to choose your own rv that you bought, and set it up how you want… the occupant buys the older rv, and the state paid rv repair person helps bring it up to code…working on a computer remote-work employment situation might make paying something for the spot possible, or allow the cost of repairs to be resident-paid…it’s a low cost solution to the human refuse problem, and it improves their lives..making working a regular job in California possible, with some dignity…we’re talking about low income entry level workers trying to survive in a good area of the country, on a shoe-string budget—
so you WANT the “gubmint” in direct competition with current RV parks/campgrounds?
the current RV parks are not competing for homeless to come stay there. they are competing for high end clientele. heard of the 10 year rule for RVs? it’s to keep the Poor’s out. the state run park is for a different demographic.
Your right except maybe the ten year rule is to attract the customer you want as a business owner. Is the cup 1/2 full or half empty? Walls don’t just keep some out, they keep some in too. Ie:Prison. Free enterprise, capitalism, you know, FREEDOM to choose the park you want and can afford. It’s a business model attracting high end clientele.
I think you are onto something. A couple of posts above yours, by someone named “jake”, he volunteers at a place that may like to hear your thoughts. Web is VehicleResidency.org I love your thoughts!
You suggest personal choice is the solution. Petsonal choice was what got these folks in the jackpot they are in. Your solution is pure welfare. Working remotely…. doing what…? . if they had the needed skills for remote computer work, they would likely not need this Welfare solution you suggest. Virtue signaling.
I believe the answer is to accept that there is a shelter issue, and we must address people’s desire and minimum need to be independent… I feel a people’s rv park is the way… society can pay their rent of 1,500 and the utilities for a tiny apartment in California…or, we can supply a park with a sewer hookup, and a repair technician.. most of America doesn’t see that the people living in old 1970’s and 80’s rvs would rather have hookups, and live on less wages…it’s the cost of living and the reality of entry level wages not allowing the purchase of these each month…there has to be another cheaper way that’s in control…we have little choice but to start a section-8 rv parks…probably many of them in certain areas… 50 percent…half… half the total number of homeless persons in America reside in California…it’s higher minimum wage and good weather. This still isn’t enough advantage to move out of an old rv and get an apartment… they have bills for kids, repairs, insurance, ect—
Yes John, this not a bad idea. Instead of 1500/month/unit for a nice park with a view, how about a 10,000 space park 20 miles South of the I-15 off ZZZYX Road at 300/month. Put up a guard shack to keep drugs out, supply 15 Amp service to every space and community shower and water source. It is still California. A community kitchen for meals and a commissary for sundries. If you make it too comfortable, why would anyone try to improve their situation. People lived in this climate for 1000 years before A/C and wifi. A nice tent city like Sherrif Joe set up in AZ would suffice but if you prefer your RV over a tent and a cot, then you can have a space for your RV. If you want to be near the coastline, set your goals accordingly. Stop confusing homeless RV dwellers with retirees.
I lost my apartment in February in Arizona after being out on work for 14 weeks with health issues from covid me and my dogs had no choice but go on the streets and live in my van we were harassed by police every were we went and tried to park and sleep after 2 month of hardly sleeping. I decided to move to maine were I never got bothered by police if any thing they would drive through parking lot to make sure the ones sleeping there were safe it shows you half of this country has some respect and understanding for one’s that had no control over loosing every thing it makes me so upset that when your down how some people don’t even care and want to push you to limit off stress were people commit suicide I look at life differently I have respect for the ones that lost it all but still get up and keep going not all law enforcement is understanding and willing to show respect sad world we live in
This is a beautiful outcome Ronald and I am happy to hear you found a comfortable alternative. You are independent and obviously strong willed enough to take your self reliance seriously. Like everything in life, it is not working or uncomfortable, change it. Well done. Kudos.
Will you live in a van through the Maine winter? Do you think they would still be welcoming if a large number came? Here in CO they are thining out after a cold snap. The weather draws them to the southwest. Not saying it’s right or wrong it’s just fact. And with them came alot of property crime.
Science fiction predicts the future. I can remember a Scifi TV series named “Max Headroom”. It predicted the U.S. becoming a largely transient society, with conflict between those that had land, and those that “camped out”, some in vehicles, but most not. It is no longer available, but should be, as it gives thought to the subject of this article. It was broadcast long before streaming content, but is relevant now, and it seems, increasingly so. These problems will not go away. It will get worse, until it becomes yet another conflict in America we are forced to deal with … daily.
I live full time in my truck camper by choice and convenience. I split up my time in all areas of NC in Cracker Barrells,Home Depots, Cabelas and some property I rent. Always clean area better that when I arrived and never set up camp in anyway. I also buy products from the place I stay at. Win win.
If you haven’t, click on the COUNTY CLARIFIES in the Mesa County section. The sites have been cleaned up but now there are new ones, but hey, no pictures of private land owners and their messes just out of the shots shown. Guess it’s ok as long as no human waste has been dumped on the ground.
As an RV dweller who takes seriously my responsibilities to keep my area clean, to dispose of waste of all kinds with consideration and care, I walk this tightrope every minute of every day.
But the other side of this problem that they don’t talk about is EXTREMELY UNAVAILABLE low income housing for the people who have no choice but to choose an RV/automobile because their SSI/SSDI or their lack of income makes any other choice out of the question. Don’t get me wrong, there ARE many out here doing nothing but meth or other drugs on purpose, but that’s NOT the majority that I have seen.
And then there are the law enforcement officers who harass all of us as if we were criminals!!! I have found one team of officers in my local area who asked me about my situation. Every other officer in my area has had 2 other officer with them and all have hands on tazers. I’m a 60 y.o. woman who has NEVER had issues with any officers. I back the blue ( or khaki or green…) Now I’m a target of
I hate to say it but welcome to the club!
Folks that live in these affected states predominately out West should take issues such as the homeless problem into account when they vote. Homeownership isn’t much more expensive than renting until you add in the outrageous taxes and fees imposed upon homeowners by their governments, local, city, and state.
But residents of these states will keep voting for the same leftist-socialists and perpetuate the problem blaming others for the reasons and looking for others to bail them out.
Exactly! voting choices have consequences.
Come to the liberal, left-tilted states if you want to park free in your RV. Especially places like Marin County. You will be welcomed warmly. RVs are parked everywhere and the locals bring them free services, even food! City officials even voted in millions of dollars to aid and support the situation. And don’t worry about the age or condition of your rig! Heck, tow it in!
What would do if you owned a home on one of the streets that allow RV parking for extended times? you have no view except for dilapidated RV in your front yard. This is not what a person pays taxes and buy homes for. As for the pull off parking stop to visit and then leave so others may enjoy the view..