July 23, 2015

"Entrepreneur converts fleet of old campers, parks them around New York and charges $22 a night on Airbnb."

"... from tiny vans for just two people, with a limited amount of fittings, to fully-converted camper vans complete with a kitchen and seating area.... Guests cannot move the vans.... He insists they are in good neighborhoods that are quiet at night and surrounded by restaurants, bars and galleries...."

RELATED: "What It's Like To Live In Your Car On The Streets Of New York City."
"I shower at the gym... So I now have towel service and a locker where I can store some clothes — the rest are in plastic bins in my car... I had my windows tinted to the max that I could, which was something like 35%. And then after that I put Walmart cling on tints on in the back, where I sleep.... I never feel 100% safe, so I’m always kind of on edge, but I sleep pretty soundly and I’m pretty sure I could handle any situation that could arise..."

23 comments:

Bad Lieutenant said...

Hell, it costs $22 a day or more just to park! He should sell THAT secret.

Brando said...

I'm surprised he found street parking for the campers in bustling NYC neighborhoods. I'm sure the city has some rule against sleeping in a vehicle in the city, and if they don't, the hotel industry will make sure they do soon enough.

Brando said...

So these campers must have functioning bathrooms?

Quaestor said...

To me a hotel room is a place to keep your stuff, sleep, and bathe. When I'm in New York I'm in my room six, maybe seven hours out of twenty-four. The rest of the time I'm doing business, or visiting a museum, or seeing a play, or dining , or just walking around (Well, I don't do that anymore,but it was fun to do when Rudy was mayor.) To stay in Manhattan costs around $200 a night plus tips, unless you choose a dosshouse accommodations (I like the Wellington for uptown, and the Shelburne for mid-town) One company put me up in the Park Central (four star plus) but I didn't see too much difference overall. A high three is high living' for Quaestor. Anyway, it costs about $29 per hour of sleep.

If these campers have hot water and a shower, and they're not located next to a gangsta corna I might try one out.

Laslo Spatula said...

"So these campers must have functioning bathrooms?"

It's new York: the City is your bathroom.

I am Laslo.

Ann Althouse said...

"So these campers must have functioning bathrooms?"

As it says in the article: no.

It's like camping. There's no toilet in your tent when you camp. You have to go out and... go, out.

Mark said...

Oh, this is going to piss off so many rent-seekers.

Ann Althouse said...

I'd hate sleeping in a camper that had a toilet in it. I wouldn't want to be enclosed in a tight space with a toilet. Might as well find a public bathroom, occupy a stall, and sleep there.

Laslo Spatula said...

Twenty-two dollars a night could be a cost-savings opportunity for a Pimp.

I am Laslo.

Mary Beth said...

rando said...

I'm surprised he found street parking for the campers in bustling NYC neighborhoods. I'm sure the city has some rule against sleeping in a vehicle in the city, and if they don't, the hotel industry will make sure they do soon enough.

7/23/15, 8:28 AM


It's legal. It keeps homeless people with cars from being arrested for being homeless.

Some commenters on the site suggest these are being used for cheap booty calls. That makes more sense than anything.

Wince said...

Chevy Van

'Cause like a picture she was laying there
And moonlight dancing off her hair
She woke up and took me by the hand
She's gonna love me in my Chevy van and that's all right with me

Quaestor said...

I'd hate sleeping in a camper that had a toilet in it.

Some years ago I trailered some horses to a Three-Day in Ocala, Florida. The deal was I do the driving, and I do overnights, and I get my horse transported and stalled free. The trailer was a four-horse gooseneck with a tack room/sleeper. The bed was up in the gooseneck and below was a tiny basin and chemical toilet, very much like a airliner restroom, with that same soapy, lilac smell that a well-kept airline restroom has. It was late November, but even then Ocala can get hot, so the smell in the tack room was suffocating. I slept in the cab and used the tack room to wash, shave, and change.

MarkW said...

"I'd hate sleeping in a camper that had a toilet in it. I wouldn't want to be enclosed in a tight space with a toilet. Might as well find a public bathroom, occupy a stall, and sleep there."

Nah, if there's no leak in the plumbing (or, alternately, if the porta-pottie is in good shape), you can't smell anything. We often spend a week on a boat, which has the same kind of system, and there's no sewer odor.

Ann Althouse said...

"Nah, if there's no leak in the plumbing (or, alternately, if the porta-pottie is in good shape), you can't smell anything. We often spend a week on a boat, which has the same kind of system, and there's no sewer odor."

I can't smell anything anyway. I have anosmia. But I have a mind.

Brando said...

"It's like camping. There's no toilet in your tent when you camp. You have to go out and... go, out."

Appetizing, especially in the summer heat! Of course if the city had installed those pay toilets back in the '90s instead of letting ADA complaints shut it down, they wouldn't have to deal with that problem. But if the campers are otherwise legal, sounds like a bit of a problem for the neighborhood's residents.

Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Etienne said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
pm317 said...

Poverty based solutions coming to America. Related tiny house development for young people who don't have well paid jobs. Progressive solutions indeed.

Rusty said...

Ann Althouse said...
I'd hate sleeping in a camper that had a toilet in it. I wouldn't want to be enclosed in a tight space with a toilet. Might as well find a public bathroom, occupy a stall, and sleep there.


You know the poop goes into a tank on the outside of the camper, right? You're not sleeping in the miasma of shit.
But, good god you're a delicate flower. Meade I admire your patience.

mikee said...

I had to remove a drifter's car from behind some apartments I own. He'd set up camp, essentially taking three parking spaces for his car and spread out belongings. The police knew who the owner was, he came and went looking for day labor, but could not find him. I left a note on his car to move or be towed; 24 hours later it was still there, and the vehicle went to impound.

I felt like my tolerance was being abused by this guy, who maybe was a bit down on his luck, but who expected me for some reason to let him use my property for his own uses, scaring my tenants with his presence, not acknowledging any responsibility to choose his location with anyone else in mind but himself.

I'd feel the same with someone who camped on my street. And even more vitriol would be directed towards someone who got paid when these people camped on my street.

Bay Area Guy said...

This is pathetic. The young feller nets $3,500/month ($42,000/year), which means his salary is about $75 - $80,000/year. Get a roommate and a cheap apartment in Queens, Dude.

The thought of being 25 and living in my car does not compute.

Rusty said...

If you go to google earth and the go to Gardena California. Find Avalon Ave. Zoom in and see if you can spot the campers along Avalon. Those aren't for rent. There are people living in them. Every once in awhile they'll move them a block or two. In the morning they empty their honey buckets in then sewer.

Peter said...

I don't see how this works in Manhattan, where most streets have alternate side of the street parking (i.e., vehicles need to be moved and re-parked daily).