Abandoned Retail Parking Lots

[AreWeLostYet]

RoadStar66

You seem to have a very altruistic viewpoint.

Yet you fail to mention where all the money will come from to pay for all this?....

The idea of the massive parking lot conversion into parking and camping space for RV's, tents and vagabonds would be funde din part by charging a fee. Just like a campground, RV park etc. The charge would be regulated and not sent on a free-market spiral into the stratisphere - only charging enough to maintain the facility. Many of the staff positions could be filled from within the guests. Thus providing employment to those who, otherwise, probably would be unlikely to get a job. RTR was an example. I saw many "over the hill" in years (like yours truly) but who performed admirably in keeping the program running smoothly.

Part of the operation would be for those who truly can not afford to pay at all. It would follow the examples of the many intentional "tent cities" around the country that have proven can be maintained to at least get the homeless off the sidewalk and into a safe situation where they can have a meal or two a day, hot showers and organize their thoughts enough to plan the next moves. These kinds of communities only work if those who prey upon the homeless and pander to their self destructive drives like street drugs are kept out. Law enforcement would have to be asked to partner or they will barge in whenever someone wanted for some crime is suspected of hiding among the majority honest, law abiding guests.

 

[ckelly78z]

Wouldn't a parking lot amplify the heat, trash piles, and noise of an urban setting ? These things are the very ones I am trying to escape when we go camping, especially boondocking.

It's a hard no for me...no reason to seek out others, near a city, on a hot parking lot, and the drama that would almost certainly follow.

 

[jeanmarie]

good luck getting any regulatory body to approve such habitation with out proper means to deal with sanitation. trash and sewer become a big problem real quick.

that is one of the big issues many cities have been using to pass regulations preventing places like walmart from even allowing overnight parking

there was a group in the Los Angeles area i believe that had built a little community for homeless in abandoned land. but it was not free to come and go. you had to get approval and then do some work to stay and also had to be inspected periodically and if you didnt keep your space up, you were ousted. there was a lot of over head costs with trash and toilets and people to keep tabs and security. it was generally a success but last i heard was having hard times coming up with the funding to keep it going. i imagine something similar could be done for folks that at least have rigs to live in but would probably be held to the same requirements as RV parks/capgrounds. i know in klamath county oregon you have to provide 2 toilets for 15 camp/rv spaces.

the more people you try to pack into a small area the more infrastructure is required to keep it sane and sanitary. that it is a much bigger burden on the environment and planet. more industrial sewage treatment more trash hauling

If they are running out of funds, it was not a success. It was just another welfare program that encourages people to stay dependent on it.

 

[cyndi]

If you want your thoughts to be posted keep your politics out of your post

 

[jacqueg]

Wouldn't a parking lot amplify the heat, trash piles, and noise of an urban setting ?  These things are the very ones I am trying to escape when we go camping, especially boondocking.

It's a hard no for me...no reason to seek out others, near a city, on a hot parking lot, and the drama that would almost certainly follow.

I dunno. When I'm traveling on the interstate, I've been known to make full use of highway rest areas. I have a very comfortable bed in my van, I certainly don't need to pay $100 for a bed in a motel. But a shower would be nice.

So yes, I could see a parking lot facility catering to two different groups of users - those passing through, who would appreciate and pay a modest fee for a (somewhat) quiet area to stay, with maybe even a shower, and those who need a safe place to park for a longer period of time because they are homeless. 

Would a just-passing-through facility pay for itself with fees that could be kept low enough to appeal to someone like me?? I dunno, I'm not much of a business person.

The longtermer side would probably have to be supported by social service money from either the gov or NGOs. At the minimum, it would need very frequent patrolling, or even an on-site manager.

 

[highdesertranger]

so basically you are talking about a campground that also has long term residents. those are pretty common in some areas. highdesertranger

 

[INTJohn]

This OP idea makes laugh. These retail epoxylips store/mall parking lots have been 'abandoned' for a reason. They are in areas where a profit could not be sustained; which generally means 'low income' area which is also a polite way of saying in the urban setting High Crime..........

Now I've seen some of these large lots in some metro areas that I wouldn't stay in if YOU paid me; in fact some of them I'm thinkin I would rather try to sleep in a bunker at a Lima site in 1970's Laos wonderring when the mortar attack begins.

but now the idea is to somehow attract all of these wilderness seeking rv'er vandwellers traveling down the boulevarday to spend some time & money in beautiful somewheretown abandoned high crime area parking lot! LOL! Yokay!!!

hell, I won't even spend a night in a Wal Mart parking lot if I see they've a night security patrol. If that Wal Mart is in an neighborhood where it feels the need for night patrol security , I don't want to be there! There are tooooo many places that are realy great to spend a night or 2 at that just are very serene & secure without rent a cops drivin around..........

4 free and they're not at all hard to find..........INTjohn

 

[jacqueg]

so basically you are talking about a campground that also has long term residents.  those are pretty common in some areas.  highdesertranger

Not really a campground, thinking more of a secured WalMart parking lot with portapotties and a water source. These would be in urban areas, which often lack $15 National Forest campgrounds. My thought was people living longer term in their vehicles could also make use of such a parking lot, since they often do have an income or some money in the bank. Just not enough to rent an apartment.

 

[highdesertranger]

well ok a trailer park that has both long and short term, users. those are also pretty common, unless you are talking big cities but who wants to be there. highdesertranger

 

[jacqueg]

Not me! But sometimes you just have to pass through one at an inconvenient time.

 

[FloridaNomad]

I currently sleep at an abandoned retail lot. I got "the knock" the third night, but once the cops ran my id they just told me to be careful. They were pretty cool about the whole thing. It seems like a decent spot, close to a Home Depot(1 mile), a Lowes(2 miles), a WalMart(same parking lot as the Lowes) and several spots with free wifi.