Overnight Sleeping in Vehicles a Misdemeanor? (Los Angeles, Sacramento: RV parks, fit in, to rent)

[Ghostgecko]

I'm sure that most of you heard about the California Coastal Commission's decision to not approve OPD's last few weeks. It seems as though some residents have decided to take the law in their own hands and continue to hammer the LAPD with calls saying there are people sleeping in their cars outside their homes.

Last night I was risen from a sound sleep and told that I was not allowed legally to park in the city of Los Angeles and sleep in a car, which I find suspicious, cause the car has been moved in the past 48 hours, does move and drive, is registered and legally insured, and yet even though I was in a legal parking place at 2am, I was told to move.

I need some thoughts from residents and law officials who may use this website on this. I would like to challenge this, but I need the code, and couldn't find it online. I was told that I would have to leave or it would be a misdemeanor offense. Two days ago, I started and accepted employment, and for the first time in three months, I am soon to be full time employed, which I find aggravating now that I have pack up and leave before I can afford a home.

If what they are saying is true, than I'm going to be "On the Run" while I seek out a normal and harmless way to live and park, until I can afford a room to rent. Please help me with these thoughts, as I also found it wierd that they said several calls had come in, and that the rest of the people on the street were not removed, including several other cars and Rv's. I'm confused, and just trying to get started in a new place. I have no bad record, which they pulled, of course, and am not here to start trouble.

Thanks in advance...

[BRinSM]

are you currently parking and sleeping in venice? if so, this issue has been a big deal there recently. maybe try somewhere else a bit more quiet.

[Mike121]

SEC. 85.02. USE OF STREETS AND PUBLIC PARKING LOTS FOR HABITATION.

No person shall use a vehicle parked or standing upon any City street. or upon any parking lot owned by the City of Los Angeles and under the control of the City of Los Angeles or under control of the Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors. as living quarters either overnight, day-by-day, or otherwise.

[MtnSurfer]

You can usually sleep in a Walmart parking lot. Also try somewhere outside the city. LA county may be an option. At the very least go to a less populated obvious region. Your location says Santa Monica. That is definately Not a low profile community.

You can also check out MALIBU CREEK SP, CA for camping/shower options. Malibu Creek SP

Derek

[Ghostgecko]

Thanks for the responses everyone! I really appreciate it. I've changed my plans, and although they are top secret at the moment, lol, they've included not staying in the same place.

Venice is obviously not as good as I thought it would be. Within a day or two, despite the fact that I go to work, come back, and don't cause any trouble, it seems that neighbors start to complain.

As far as the law goes, I have a big problem with being told I'm not allowed to exist. I believe that is basically what they are saying in the fact that if you don't have a private lot to park in, and you don't have money to live here, you don't belong here. Too bad that doesn't fit in with the constitution of the United States of America.

I guess I should have thought differently, but now, I'm a lot more careful, and in sense, have been dodging by going in different areas. I'm clean, quiet, and sensible about my approach, and just started a job that required a clean and extensive background check and two months to get hired, so so much for the bum theory others may have.

Sadly the world just can't stop judging a book by it's cover. Even in an "artistic" community such as Venice. Until that happens, people who have just underwent nightmarish scenarios that are trying to be honest, law abiding and contributing citizens will just be second class.

I guess I just figured that it was sort of an unwritten law...let's give our recent veterans a chance to get started...I must have been wrong. I have two jobs, am starting classes this fall, and will soon be a reservist again, and I can't sleep in my personally owned, licensed and registered car...oh yeah, as long as it's on a street, which means if it doesn't fly, I can't sleep in it.

Good thing I don't plan on staying down much longer...thanks again for your replies...

[Huckleberry3911948]

interesting a disguised vagrancy law applied to car owners. the RV parks and state camping parks are filled with poor people they are not staying the weekend on a family outing they are living there. jacking up the park fees is a method to get rid of them?. 1st it was poor mexican people living in camp sites, now its us. hey now whats that sound everybody look whats goin on

[jc76]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

You can usually sleep in a Walmart parking lot. Also try somewhere outside the city. LA county may be an option. At the very least go to a less populated obvious region. Your location says Santa Monica. That is definately Not a low profile community.

You can also check out MALIBU CREEK SP, CA for camping/shower options. Malibu Creek SP

Derek

Walmart is very friendly when it comes to this, I'd stay there. If California would somehow manage to make rent affordable people would not have to live in cars. Period. Greed on the states part by not putting a cap on rent prices. Then they ticket you for trying to survive in your own car? Sounds shady.

[majoun]

Originally Posted by jc76

Walmart is very friendly when it comes to this, I'd stay there. If California would somehow manage to make rent affordable people would not have to live in cars. Period. Greed on the states part by not putting a cap on rent prices. Then they ticket you for trying to survive in your own car? Sounds shady.

Rent control is one of the things that made some California cities expensive in the first place. For example, before rent control, Santa Monica was mostly middle class except for movie star land north of Wilshire and the mini-barrio by Pico and 20th. Rent control made the middle class neighborhoods of SM into wealthy neighborhoods. Rent control works directly against the young, the poor, and minorities by resulting in not only fewer units being built but more units going on to the "black market" - before rent control ended in SM in 1998, prospective tenants had to pay hefty bribes to landlords in order to rent, which priced out the non-wealthy. In the meantime, the wealthy residents who were already there paid ultra-low rents. This has been the experience in many places where rent control has been put in, and rent control hurting the poor, the young, and minorities is why the French socialist party abolished rent control in France when they took power in the early '80s. Yes, even French socialists know rent control only helps the wealthy (although there is no doubt rent control was and is politically popular, it is economic insanity)

If there was statewide rent control than there would be even more people leaving California than there already are.

[Ghostgecko]

I'm in school now, and we are learning about where we have come from, and where we are going...I watched Capitalism the other night, and sat there thinking to myself about how I too, was a victim in this...not to mention families and people that are hurting much more than I ever could.

I am not a martyr, but I am an example...sitting in that theater made me wonder if things really can change, and more importantly, if people are strong enough and care enough about others to make it happen...

I said it once to a stranger on the street who was criticizing me at that moment...When a production-capable young worker in his most productive years works full-time, goes to college, is somewhat intelligent, studious, law-abiding, and a veteran for several years, AND he can't afford a self-pursued living condition such as a studio, health care, and sustain himself, we have a true problem in this country...

I'm still having an issue with the police off and on, but to those who say park elsewhere, I say this...I have a constitutional right to exist and to sustain myself, as Locke put it, although we are in a "state of nature", and moreso now than ever, I am forced to live this theory, the local police have decided to put us at a state of war...

The meaning is simple. I intend to continue to exist, beyond the extent of their laws. By that, I mean that if I have nowhere to go, and loitering is illegal outside on the benches, I shall remain in my vehicle, that I am in the pursuit of happiness in owning, and register, and have insurance on. I cannot exist nowhere, and I cannot exist outside of my vehicle, legally, and I cannot exist inside it legally? Something's rotten in the state of California. (Denmark's doing quite well, actually) If I am held responsible for them, I intend to use the media, my own resources, and the constituion to uphold my rights, and I have the ordinances printed out. Until I can afford to live on my own, we must be at a state of war...sad but true...

I met a young man from Finland one day who informed me about how in Finland, you are guaranteed a living condition of adequate proportions to sustain, a small studio, bed, fridge, stove, microwave, dishwasher, bathroom, etc....I looked around me at that moment on the Promenade and felt sad for America...there were about ten homeless people a stone's throw away, myself included.

[VLWH]

Originally Posted by Ghostgecko

I'm still having an issue with the police off and on, but to those who say park elsewhere, I say this...I have a constitutional right to exist and to sustain myself, as Locke put it, although we are in a "state of nature", and moreso now than ever, I am forced to live this theory, the local police have decided to put us at a state of war...

Wrong ..... The police enforce the law but they do not make them. Take your fight to Sacramento and/or Washington D.C.

Originally Posted by Ghostgecko

I met a young man from Finland one day who informed me about how in Finland, you are guaranteed a living condition of adequate proportions to sustain, a small studio, bed, fridge, stove, microwave, dishwasher, bathroom, etc....I looked around me at that moment on the Promenade and felt sad for America...there were about ten homeless people a stone's throw away, myself included.

If it's so great in Finland, why is he here?

By the way, Finland's population is approx 5 million. Heck... reportedly we have nearly four times that amount than that in just illegal population. Not difficult to understand why guaranteed housing is not offered everyone.