L.A. City Council Votes To Ban People From Living Inside Cars And RVs

[GotSmart]

I also got this (At the end of the article)

An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the ban had been voted into law; the City Council voted to direct the City Attorney's office to draft an ordinance. The post was also revised to more accurately reflect the fact that the potential ordinance would allow individuals to legally sleep in their cars on streets zoned for industrial or commercial uses.

If I was on the CC, I'd ask the lawyer who sued and won how best to draft it, that way everyone can benefit from this...

This was not on the version I read.  No wonder Bob saw something different,  It reads completely different now. Early responders to this need to reread it.

I have forgotten that there are no longer gatekeepers to keep personal bias out of reporting. As well as to check the accuracy of what was written.

 

[1m1a]

Since the new law in Los Angeles took effect, does anyone have experience with it being enforced on them? I am trying to decide between a standard cargo van or a minivan such as a Toyota Sienna. Would love the interior space of the cargo van, but don't want to feel like police are on the lookout for people like me sleeping inside. My feeling is that a minivan would be much more stealthy and invisible. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Svenn]

You only plan on staying in LA?  If you don't end up finding a permanent place to park/rent a spot/etc then yeah I'd think you'd want to be in a minivan if you're constantly driving around town.  

I too want to know if anyone has any experience out there

 

[XFILE36]

I recently found out it isn't illegal to live in your car in L.A. in certain areas/times. Here is the municipal code good until 2018 and here is a map to find parking. https://www.lacity.org/for-resident...strategy-implementation/los-angeles-municipal AND http://zimas.lacity.org/#

 

[1m1a]

You only plan on staying in LA?  If you don't end up finding a permanent place to park/rent a spot/etc then yeah I'd think you'd want to be in a minivan if you're constantly driving around town.  

I too want to know if anyone has any experience out there

Yes only in LA. I actually don't live in my vehicle. However, I'm freelance and I work in different parts of town and the commute can be awful as you know. I time shift my commute if I know my drive is a bad one. I'll drive into work the night before around 10 or 11pm, go to sleep, then wake up within a minute or two drive from work. It saves me about 75 minutes of driving and the stress that accompanies it.

Right now I have a RAV4 and it's been great, although a little small. I'm contemplating my next vehicle, and trying to decide what to get.

 

[TrainChaser]

1m1a: I wouldn't choose my vehicle based on which you think would attract law enforcement most. Haven't you seen a cop car slowly cruising down the street with the cop in the passenger seat shining a flashlight into the vehicles they pass? Simply put, you aren't going to hide the fact that you're sleeping in your car if someone has the slightest interest in knowing. Pick your parking spots carefully and keep it clean.

 

[MrNoodly]

Before any ordinances were made law, the city was taking more subtle measures to chase vehicle dwellers from certain spots. Many sections of streets that had no posted parking restrictions were changed to no parking during certain hours -- usually in the middle of the night.

 

[1m1a]

1m1a:  I wouldn't choose my vehicle based on which you think would attract law enforcement most.  Haven't  you seen a cop car slowly cruising down the street with the cop in the passenger seat shining a flashlight into the vehicles they pass?  Simply put, you aren't going to hide the fact that you're sleeping in your car if someone has the slightest interest in knowing.  Pick your parking spots carefully and keep it clean.

I've never seen a cop car do that, no. Have you seen that in Los Angeles?

 

[1m1a]

Before any ordinances were made law, the city was taking more subtle measures to chase vehicle dwellers from certain spots. Many sections of streets that had no posted parking restrictions were changed to no parking during certain hours -- usually in the middle of the night.

Yes, I see that a lot now. It seems the only purpose of those restrictions is to stop vehicle dwellers.

 

[Svenn]

I've never seen a cop car do that, no. Have you seen that in Los Angeles?

I've never seen that either lol, and the probability that one would be on the street they're doing that seems pretty low.  Also, if your windows are blacked out it's not guaranteed they'd know that means you're inside.

Have you considered a rav4 hybrid or other toyota hybrid?  You can run the ac/heat/any device up to 1000w all night off the battery and the engine charges it back up.  They're pricier but consider how much $ vandwellers waste on huge battery banks, equipment, and the ensuing unreliability vs a repairable vehicle system that has it all built in.

 

[1m1a]

I've never seen that either lol, and the probability that one would be on the street they're doing that seems pretty low.  Also, if your windows are blacked out it's not guaranteed they'd know that means you're inside.

Have you considered a rav4 hybrid or other toyota hybrid?  You can run the ac/heat/any device up to 1000w all night off the battery and the engine charges it back up.  They're pricier but consider how much $ vandwellers waste on huge battery banks, equipment, and the ensuing unreliability vs a repairable vehicle system that has it all built in.

That's a very good thought! It had never occurred to me that the hybrid batteries could obviate the need for solar equipment. I'm going to tuck that idea away for future use

At the moment, the advantage of a van would primarily be more space. My concern is about giving up stealth in exchange for extra space. That's why I'm wondering what the mindset of law enforcement officers of this new law is, and if anyone on the forum has any experience with it. Perhaps I should just ask a police officer when the opportunity presents itself. I'm guessing it varies by district. 

The proliferation of zones where parking is prohibited from 3am-5am, or something similar — I'm hoping that doesn't spread wide and far.