Vehicle residency, where to safely park overnight

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Vehicles parked in Delta Park. (Sam Gehrke)

 Vehicle residency, where to safely park overnight

    On the streets of Portland Oregon, it's not uncommon to find tents pitched up along the sidewalks, or on the sides of freeway ramps. However, another fairly common sight is an RV or other type of vehicle that someone has taken up residency in. After all, a metal box provides far more protection than a cloth tent. The only problem is, taking up residency in a car or RV is considered illegal. As of July 2021, nearly 4000 complaints were filed with the city over abandoned or illegally parked cars and RV’s. However there are plans in the works to redevelop part of the parking lot at the Portland Expo Center into a safe parking area for people living in their cars and RV’s.

Vancouver Safe Parking Zone


As of right now, there are areas that are dedicated to safe parking. Just outside the city limits in the city of Beaverton for example, Just Compassion WC has set up the safe parking program to allow people living in their cars or RV’s a safe place to park. These sites include portable toilets, hand washing stations and garbage service. But most importantly, safe parking for people living in their cars. Donate to their cause to help out. The city of Vancouver WA has also set up something similar inside an old transit center.

By: Adrian Brantner


Sources: https://www.kgw.com/article/news/investigations/homeless-safe-parking-solutions/283-e6724158-2343-4fd7-a43b-b36496b50a04

https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/portland-expo-center-car-camping-cost/283-fc8919cb-c8f5-4e0a-ba37-7d85c973cf48

https://www.cityofvancouver.us/cmo/page/vancouver-safe-parking-zone#:~:text=Program%20Overview,in%20partnership%20with%20C%2DTRAN.

https://justcompassionewc.com/

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