Legal to park/camp in a rented space?

[dg]

Hey folks, do city bylaws on overnight parking/camping only apply to public lots/streets? If you have a regular (non-RV) parking spot somewhere that you pay for, would it be illegal to sleep there in your vehicle? Seems like you should be entitled to because you "own" the space.. but I'm not sure. This probably varies from place to place, but just figured I'd check if anyone's done this before.

 

[johnny_canuck]

You could ask the owners of the lot. Why not drive to your space after dark and leave early. Here in Canada, most apartment buildings have extra spaces and make money for that spot. Outdoor parking usually has a 110 outlet to plug in your car's block heater. So you could have power also for your van. I have a small apartment for the winter and any visitors stay in my ride when visiting. Electric heater and coffee pot. Check out independent garages. Offer to pay $100. month. They all have exterior outlets.

 

[akblack10]

I have parked in a "rented" space in a lot in San Diego. I only stayed a few nights and had no problems. If your truck camper fits into the space and doesn't block anyone else then it really shouldn't matter to the lot owner. You paid for a spot and your vehicle is in the spot. But like mentioned above, the city may have an ordinance against sleeping in your vehicle. You should probably check. My experience with what I call "urban boon docking" is try to blend in and don't stay too long in the same spot. Some neighborhoods have " Ms Kravitz's " that will call the police because of a suspicious vehicle. While other neighborhoods have people coming and going all the time and don't pay attention. I read your other post and make the following recommendation, see if you can't find someone with a big yard that would let you park there pretty much full time. Maybe you could even plugin to their garage power. In return, you could cut grass, shovel snow etc... You'd be surprised how many people would help you with you goal of camper living while you are a student. I have a 20 acre piece of property in Central Kentucky and I host strangers to boondock for a few nights at no cost, it's a great way to meet people! Might post on CraigsList that you are looking for a place to park and live during the school year. It's very nice to have a place to park where the PoPo can't bother you!

 

[dg]

Thanks for the replies, putting up a post on craigslist to find a place to park on private property is a great idea, having electricity on tap will make things quite a bit simpler. Id still invest in a place to park on campus, but finding a place reasonably close to head to in the evenings would be very convenient.. and like you say, prevent any run ins with cops or concerned folks.

 

[Mangyhyena]

I wonder if you would get any takers if you offered to rent just the garage of a house. Could try that on Craigslist. You would have shelter from the elements, privacy, electric plugs, and all the comforts of home inside the RV.

If you try to just park in someone's yard, even paying rent, you could run into city ordinance problems. But, if all the neighbors see is you pulling into the garage, they'll probably assume you live in the house as a renter, especially if you are living in a non-RV-looking vehicle.

In these hard times, you just might find someone willing to rent you their garage. They get a paying roommate who doesn't actually live in their house. You get a safe place to live in your RV. Win, win, unless I've overlooked something.