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Comic-Con International => SDCC Housing, Parking, and Transportation => Topic started by: chocolateshake on March 05, 2019, 05:55:02 PM

Title: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on March 05, 2019, 05:55:02 PM
It is now legal to live in a vehicle on the streets of San Diego.  What could be cheaper and more convenient than staying in your car?  Get a decent spot and you can be close to the convention center.  People have already put their vans on Airbnb.

https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2019/mar/04/stringers-aibnb-vans-invade-san-diego-streets/
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Angel_ on March 05, 2019, 05:56:30 PM
I've actually seen people do that before.  Though I guess the difference is that it was illegal then.  One guy I met said he slept in his car and showered at a 24 Hour Fitness.  Some nights he slept in Hall H line.  More power to people willing to do that.  I can't imagine more than a night without a bed.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Virgo911 on March 05, 2019, 06:03:01 PM
I kinda just assumed this was already happening. CCI is expensive, and I'm sure people have slept in their cars for less...
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: vegasndn on March 05, 2019, 06:06:21 PM
I guess you could rent and park in one of the garages, curious how many vans will be on the streets in downtown. I don’t know man I think I’ll stick with a hotel.


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Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on March 05, 2019, 06:33:19 PM
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I've actually seen people do that before.  Though I guess the difference is that it was illegal then.  One guy I met said he slept in his car and showered at a 24 Hour Fitness.  Some nights he slept in Hall H line.  More power to people willing to do that.  I can't imagine more than a night without a bed.

I use that 24 Hour Fitness as my locker during comic-con.  Exactly like how someone uses a locker in high school.

Sleeping in a vehicle doesn't have to be uncomfortable.  A lot of people do it.  Many out of necessity and some out of choice.  For them it's a lifestyle.  Vanlife is like a millennial version of the RV culture from the '50s.  There are so many videos of people showing off their urban campers on youtube.  They look like normal vans on the outside, inside they are tiny houses.  I have to admit, I've been toying with the idea of building one myself.

Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: JKingoftheNerds on March 05, 2019, 08:38:35 PM
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It is now legal to live in a vehicle on the streets of San Diego.  What could be cheaper and more convenient than staying in your car?  Get a decent spot and you can be close to the convention center.  People have already put their vans on Airbnb.

https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2019/mar/04/stringers-aibnb-vans-invade-san-diego-streets/

Wowza, just the thought gives me minor anxiety. I honestly think I'd feel safer sleeping in the Hall H line every night, tbh. It's not obvious from my username but I'm a chick, so maybe I'd feel differently if I was a dude, but I don't think so. Still, more power to anyone who's down to do that--sleeping accommodations are always a stressful thing to work out at SDCC, and that's certainly one legit way to completely circumvent the Hotelpocalypse issue (and the cost issue).
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Angel_ on March 05, 2019, 08:48:18 PM
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I use that 24 Hour Fitness as my locker during comic-con.  Exactly like how someone uses a locker in high school.

Sleeping in a vehicle doesn't have to be uncomfortable.  A lot of people do it.  Many out of necessity and some out of choice.  For them it's a lifestyle.  Vanlife is like a millennial version of the RV culture from the '50s.  There are so many videos of people showing off their urban campers on youtube.  They look like normal vans on the outside, inside they are tiny houses.  I have to admit, I've been toying with the idea of building one myself.

I mean fair.  To the people who have to do it out of necessity, I feel that. I have been homeless before.  I’ve slept on floors.  I have loads of sympathy. 

I feel like people who choose it, though, may be slightly different as they tend to make it comfortable.  Like a lot of these vans have mattresses.  My moms ex used to have a van with a bed in the back and we’d go camping in it all the time.  Felt just like a normal bed.  (And one time we woke up to a bear sniffing at our window SO MUCH FUN...  ANYWAY)




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Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: cire_raeb on March 06, 2019, 09:27:05 PM
No need to sleep  in your car during SDCC....put up a tent in the Hall H line in the evening.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on March 06, 2019, 11:33:51 PM
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I mean fair.  To the people who have to do it out of necessity, I feel that. I have been homeless before.  I’ve slept on floors.  I have loads of sympathy.

Same.  The housing situation is out of control in California.  I don't know what it's like in the rest of the country.  People with middle class jobs living on the street and in their cars is a common sight here in California.  They can no longer afford housing.  That's not sustainable.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: marcia29 on March 13, 2019, 03:15:28 AM
I remember my first comic con, where I asked the taxi driver about housing costs and he sighed, " I paid $400,000 for my house and I live in a shack!".  At the time I thought he was joking.  He was not.   ???
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: geek_girlie on March 13, 2019, 05:57:39 AM
My friends and I jokingly debated that we should do this, since we end up sleeping and/or getting up way way early to get in line anyways. However, had no idea it was illegal (or use to be)!!   ???
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: cire_raeb on March 13, 2019, 06:14:37 AM
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My friends and I jokingly debated that we should do this, since we end up sleeping and/or getting up way way early to get in line anyways. However, had no idea it was illegal (or use to be)!!   ???

There are some nice luxary shacks (condos) in Mission Valley.  Thought about picking up a 2bed/2bsth as an investment.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: TardisMom on March 13, 2019, 09:14:43 AM
We have my dad in a tiny 650 sq ft condo in Pacific Beach, about 5 blocks from the ocean.  We paid $405k.  Ouch.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on March 13, 2019, 02:28:55 PM
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I remember my first comic con, where I asked the taxi driver about housing costs and he sighed, " I paid $400,000 for my house and I live in a shack!".  At the time I thought he was joking.  He was not.   ???

San Diego is dirt cheap compared to San Francisco.  People can't really grasp that by just reading the numbers on the news.  You have to be on the ground to fully appreciate it.  Even 20 years ago when we were relocating people from the midwest they didn't really get it until they came.  Then they had the deer in the headlights look.  They had a 5-6 bedroom house in the midwest.  For what they sold it for, they were lucky to get a 1 bedroom apartment in San Francisco.  If they could find one that cheap.

People making minimum wage have no hope in California unless they are under rent control from 30 years ago.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on March 13, 2019, 02:31:40 PM
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We have my dad in a tiny 650 sq ft condo in Pacific Beach, about 5 blocks from the ocean.  We paid $405k.  Ouch.

In San Francisco a condo like that in a similar neighborhood is closer to $1.5M.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on March 13, 2019, 02:39:36 PM
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There are some nice luxary shacks (condos) in Mission Valley.  Thought about picking up a 2bed/2bsth as an investment.

Factor global warming into that decision.  Even when it lightly rains, parts of Mission and Fashion Valley are flooded.  Both are built on the San Diego river.  Historically, it was more like the San Diego dry river bed.  It's not dry anymore.  If there's appreciably sea level rise, much of that will be underwater.

Sea level rise isn't something for the far future.  It's here.  Imperial Beach is already getting swamped on king tides.  The city announced a plan to relocate the city further inland which upset the residents who's land would be underwater.  So the city is back to defending against the sea.  It's a fight they will lose.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: TardisMom on March 13, 2019, 08:47:17 PM
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In San Francisco a condo like that in a similar neighborhood is closer to $1.5M.

Triple OUCH!!
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: geek_girlie on March 14, 2019, 09:38:18 AM
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In San Francisco a condo like that in a similar neighborhood is closer to $1.5M.

I can totally empathize living in the DC Metro area myself. However, I do know that it is much, much worse in San Francisco!!  :(
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: perc2100 on March 14, 2019, 11:12:22 AM
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I remember my first comic con, where I asked the taxi driver about housing costs and he sighed, " I paid $400,000 for my house and I live in a shack!".  At the time I thought he was joking.  He was not.   ???

For reference:
* 15 years ago, right before the housing crash, my wife and I bought a 2 bedrooms/2 bath 1100 square foot condo in Poway Unified school district (where I teach and where she taught at the time; one of the best districts in SD county) for around $300,000.  Now if we sold it we'd get around $400,000. 
* my parents live in an upper-class suburb in Columbus, OH very similar to Poway district area.  They have an acre of land in a 4 bedroom/3 full + 1 half bath probably around 5k square feet and when they retire in a year they'll likely be able to sell their house for a little over $300k (which is good for that area).  Crazy.
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Same.  The housing situation is out of control in California.  I don't know what it's like in the rest of the country.  People with middle class jobs living on the street and in their cars is a common sight here in California.  They can no longer afford housing.  That's not sustainable.
Part of the problem, especially in San Diego, is there is a significant housing shortage (note: pretty sure this is the same in all the major CA cities), and in far less than a decade I think we'll have a lot more families than housing units.  SD is working on that, but there are still going to be problems with housing.  The shortage means rentals and 'starter homes' are at a huge premium (supply/demand) and thus hard for families to afford.  I think a one bedrooms/one bath in my complex would still be pushing $300k nowadays which seems insane: any my mortgage is similar/LESS than what some of our neighbors are paying to RENT a 2 bedroom/2 bath unit!
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: FBS on March 14, 2019, 11:27:04 AM
Whenever me and the better half have stayed in SD the days after comic con we've always looked at the houses for sale in the agents windows.
Even with the great UK to US exchange rate we would be living in a 1 bedroom apartment if we sold our house here in the UK.
It really did shock me as to how high the prices are.

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Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Angel_ on March 14, 2019, 12:30:52 PM
All this price talk makes me cry.  I live in Hawaii.  A two bedroom condo is over a million dollars.   :-[

I currently pay $1300 a month for a a 150 square foot studio apartment. 
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: cabler30 on March 14, 2019, 01:41:13 PM
All the talk of high price live in San Diego or even visit for the con, the price just keep going up and get no cheaper.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: vegasndn on March 14, 2019, 04:01:07 PM
Come to Las Vegas, a lot of Californians have moved here and to Arizona. We bought 2k sq ft house w/ pool near southpoint casino for 265k a few years ago. This area is growing and prices are going up, yes it’s hot during the summer but from fall to spring it’s nice. Plus you can still drive to comic con.


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Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: f22raptor on March 14, 2019, 04:04:47 PM
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Come to Las Vegas, a lot of Californians have moved here and to Arizona. We bought 2k sq ft house w/ pool near southpoint casino for 265k a few years ago. This area is growing and prices are going up, yes it’s hot during the summer but from fall to spring it’s nice. Plus you can still drive to comic con.


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Viva Las Vegas!!!
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Poggledoo on March 25, 2019, 12:52:29 AM
Wow, while it's crazy that things have come to this point, I'm glad that this is another option open to people.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: marcia29 on March 26, 2019, 08:10:49 AM
I admit I was a bit shocked at the official approval of living in a car/van, but after looking at housing prices...I feel your pain. 
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on March 26, 2019, 11:22:17 AM
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I admit I was a bit shocked at the official approval of living in a car/van, but after looking at housing prices...I feel your pain.

The previous law, like they still have in LA, was nonsensical.  It was illegal to sleep in a parked car but it was legal to sleep on the street.  So people would bed down on the street next to their cars at night.  For everyone involved from the homeless to the people with homes in that neighborhood, I think allowing people to sleep in their cars is a better way to go.  Really, the only people complaining are some with houses along the beach.  Their complaint is that it's basically unfair that they had to pay millions for a ocean view and now anyone with a camper can pull up and get it for free.  I'm crying crocodile tears for them.

Housing prices in California are unsustainable.  Many of the homeless have full time jobs.  But even with a full time job in California, people making minimum wage can't afford housing.  That's even with a Californian minimum wage which is higher than federal.  Something is wrong with our society.  Companies are making record profits yet they don't pay their employees enough to put a roof over their heads.  Here's an example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX3uVKqsO_A
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: hikanteki on March 26, 2019, 02:50:20 PM
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We have my dad in a tiny 650 sq ft condo in Pacific Beach, about 5 blocks from the ocean.  We paid $405k.  Ouch.

When I read that the first thing that came to mind was that 400k for a beachfront condo is a bargain.

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For reference:
* 15 years ago, right before the housing crash, my wife and I bought a 2 bedrooms/2 bath 1100 square foot condo in Poway Unified school district (where I teach and where she taught at the time; one of the best districts in SD county) for around $300,000.  Now if we sold it we'd get around $400,000.

Honestly, that price made me do a double take not because it seems expensive, but because it seems like such an incredible bargain especially for a 2br. I'm also really surprised that things haven't gone up that much in 15 years, although I guess there was a bubble or two in between that. But I admit that my perspective is horribly skewed being in the Bay Area, where it's not just SF city, but literally EVERYTHING within a 1 hour radius is $1 MILLION minimum. The entire peninsula, all of San Jose, most of the inner East Bay, etc...I know this is the most expensive part of CA (and the country) but I didn't realize that other desirable parts of CA were that much cheaper.

At one point my well-intentioned parents suggested I move out to a suburb where things are cheaper. LOL, it doesn't work that way here (and in fact, many of the suburbs are a lot more expensive.)
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on March 27, 2019, 01:19:17 PM
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Honestly, that price made me do a double take not because it seems expensive, but because it seems like such an incredible bargain especially for a 2br. I'm also really surprised that things haven't gone up that much in 15 years, although I guess there was a bubble or two in between that. But I admit that my perspective is horribly skewed being in the Bay Area, where it's not just SF city, but literally EVERYTHING within a 1 hour radius is $1 MILLION minimum. The entire peninsula, all of San Jose, most of the inner East Bay, etc...I know this is the most expensive part of CA (and the country) but I didn't realize that other desirable parts of CA were that much cheaper.

At one point my well-intentioned parents suggested I move out to a suburb where things are cheaper. LOL, it doesn't work that way here (and in fact, many of the suburbs are a lot more expensive.)

Tell me about it.  20 years ago, the owner of a house I was renting offered to sell it to me for $200,000.  That house is worth between $1.5M to $2M now.  Even back then, for $200K it was cheap.  The problem was, I hated that house.  That's the rub about housing in the bay.  If it was expensive and nice, then maybe.  It's not.  It's expensive and trash.  That house I was renting would have been a tear down in most parts of the country.  It was cheaply built to begin with, it was one of those post WWII put it up quick houses.  The slab was cracked with leaky pipes.  The carpet was perpetually wet.  The windows only kind of kept out the wind.  I thought the furnace would explode every time it turned on.  Flames would shoot out of the vents.  I had to keep the cap off of the sewer pipe outside since it would clog all the time because the pipe was cracked and roots had grown into it.  I made the mistake of putting the cap on when I first moved in.  That lead to a backup flooding the house.  The landlord yelled at me and told me to not put the cap on.  The neighborhood was not good.  The barking dogs and loud music killed any thoughts of buying it for me.  I drive by it every once in a while when I'm back up north.  It looks exactly the same as the day I left.  So does the neighborhood.  But it's in the heart of the Silicon Valley.  A few minutes from Google, Yahoo, Adobe, Microsoft or Cisco.  Location.  Location.  Location.  That's why it can sell for that much.

I've seen some pretty trashy apartments in San Francisco.  One sticks out.  It had a ragged basketball size hole in the wall between the living room and bedroom.  I asked the landlord if he was going to fix it before renting it.  He said no.  He didn't have to.  He didn't.  5 minutes into the open house, he already had a stack of applicants.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: omraged9 on March 28, 2019, 10:13:24 PM
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Honestly, that price made me do a double take not because it seems expensive, but because it seems like such an incredible bargain especially for a 2br. I'm also really surprised that things haven't gone up that much in 15 years, although I guess there was a bubble or two in between that. But I admit that my perspective is horribly skewed being in the Bay Area, where it's not just SF city, but literally EVERYTHING within a 1 hour radius is $1 MILLION minimum. The entire peninsula, all of San Jose, most of the inner East Bay, etc...I know this is the most expensive part of CA (and the country) but I didn't realize that other desirable parts of CA were that much cheaper.

I think a few lesser popular cities left in the Bay Area might be slightly cheaper like Hayward or the far northeast cities like Brentwood. But supposedly the housing will drop a bit this year.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: LB42 on March 29, 2019, 08:56:14 PM
If I ever get stuck in hotel draw - I think staying in a van in downtown San Diego might be fun - in the same way staying in a hotel pod in Asia (once) is a new experience and fun.  Lemons to Lemonade. Probably never want to do it again - but think about the bragging rights and the life story to tell.  Of course what I know from experience is that rooms shake out.  Almost everyone who really wants a room gets one - maybe not their first choice - but a room.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: justboogie on April 01, 2019, 09:38:39 AM
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I use that 24 Hour Fitness as my locker during comic-con.  Exactly like how someone uses a locker in high school.


I just looked up how close the 24 hour fitness your referring to. It's not to far from the Ralph's! I wouldn't mind using my car and shower at the 24, however my wife would hate me for it. So I'll stick to selling my kidney in order to pay for a hotel for CC.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Blubutterfly505 on April 02, 2019, 01:55:46 PM
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I just looked up how close the 24 hour fitness your referring to. It's not to far from the Ralph's! I wouldn't mind using my car and shower at the 24, however my wife would hate me for it. So I'll stick to selling my kidney in order to pay for a hotel for CC.

Out of curiosity, what does the average kidney sale for these days? I have my sons graduation party, college tuition and the move to said college this summer.  So, I might need to keep this option as a back up plan my own self  :D
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Transmute Jun on April 02, 2019, 06:54:14 PM
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Out of curiosity, what does the average kidney sale for these days? I have my sons graduation party, college tuition and the move to said college this summer.  So, I might need to keep this option as a back up plan my own self  :D

According to this article, it's $262,000.

https://www.valuewalk.com/2018/07/selling-your-kidney/
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Angel_ on April 02, 2019, 06:57:24 PM
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According to this article, it's $262,000.

https://www.valuewalk.com/2018/07/selling-your-kidney/

uh.  BRB.  Selling a kidney.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: hikanteki on April 03, 2019, 12:44:14 AM
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According to this article, it's $262,000.

https://www.valuewalk.com/2018/07/selling-your-kidney/

That seems low especially for something as irreplaceable as a kidney. Actually the value of almost everything on that link seems like a bad deal, other than a few like $70 for 10 inches of hair.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Transmute Jun on April 03, 2019, 08:18:58 AM
Yeah, $70 wouldn't even dent the cost of a SDCC hotel bill!

(See, mods? I'm getting the thread back on track after de-railing it...   ;D )
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on April 03, 2019, 07:35:23 PM
National Geographic just posted a documentary about homelessness in San Diego.  This is why it's legal to sleep in your car in San Diego now.  Homeless people today aren't the stereotype people think.  Many of the people you interact with from cashiers to students are homeless in California.  I think the estimate is that 10% of California State University students are homeless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4332dKnlyQc
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: cire_raeb on April 04, 2019, 07:06:25 AM
Respectfully, let’s not turn this forum into political or social justice debate on the housing issue.  The options to sleep in your car and using the showers at 24 Hour Fitness are available for those without a hotel room and leave it there. I would not recommend it as sleeping in your car is not safe and the showers at the gym is disgusting.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Angel_ on April 04, 2019, 10:07:35 AM
I don't think there was anything particularly political about giving background about why this law came into place.  I personally found the background quite valuable and interesting.  It's just as political as talking about con security and why certain changes happen there.  That thread seems to be running just fine. 
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Mel on April 05, 2019, 09:12:18 AM
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Respectfully, let’s not turn this forum into political or social justice debate on the housing issue.  The options to sleep in your car and using the showers at 24 Hour Fitness are available for those without a hotel room and leave it there. I would not recommend it as sleeping in your car is not safe and the showers at the gym is disgusting.
No one did that. Respectfully, don't try and create drama where there was none.

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Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: marcia29 on April 08, 2019, 08:27:01 AM
If there was a place that was able to be set up as a temporary car/van city for SDCC, that might even be the slightest bit of cool.  There could be a shuttle stop there too.  Food trucks..hmmm ::)
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: jnyama on April 26, 2019, 09:44:29 PM
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Tell me about it.  20 years ago, the owner of a house I was renting offered to sell it to me for $200,000.  That house is worth between $1.5M to $2M now.  Even back then, for $200K it was cheap.  The problem was, I hated that house.  That's the rub about housing in the bay.  If it was expensive and nice, then maybe.  It's not.  It's expensive and trash.  That house I was renting would have been a tear down in most parts of the country.  It was cheaply built to begin with, it was one of those post WWII put it up quick houses.  The slab was cracked with leaky pipes.  The carpet was perpetually wet.  The windows only kind of kept out the wind.  I thought the furnace would explode every time it turned on.  Flames would shoot out of the vents.  I had to keep the cap off of the sewer pipe outside since it would clog all the time because the pipe was cracked and roots had grown into it.  I made the mistake of putting the cap on when I first moved in.  That lead to a backup flooding the house.  The landlord yelled at me and told me to not put the cap on.  The neighborhood was not good.  The barking dogs and loud music killed any thoughts of buying it for me.  I drive by it every once in a while when I'm back up north.  It looks exactly the same as the day I left.  So does the neighborhood.  But it's in the heart of the Silicon Valley.  A few minutes from Google, Yahoo, Adobe, Microsoft or Cisco.  Location.  Location.  Location.  That's why it can sell for that much.

I've seen some pretty trashy apartments in San Francisco.  One sticks out.  It had a ragged basketball size hole in the wall between the living room and bedroom.  I asked the landlord if he was going to fix it before renting it.  He said no.  He didn't have to.  He didn't.  5 minutes into the open house, he already had a stack of applicants.

Oh man, can I relate with this. I lived in SF for four years going to school and the housing sitch was so awful. I saw one apartment with no windows--the only natural light came from a skylight covered in bird excrement.  It felt like the pit the Silence of the Lambs girl had to stay in.

Another time I saw an apartment in, what I assumed would be a converted garage.  NOPE.  The bed was right next to the car.  The guy living there was like, "well, if you're lying on your bed and you need fresh air..." and then hit the garage door opener and the door rolled up.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on April 26, 2019, 09:56:45 PM
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Oh man, can I relate with this. I lived in SF for four years going to school and the housing sitch was so awful. I saw one apartment with no windows--the only natural light came from a skylight covered in bird excrement.  It felt like the pit the Silence of the Lambs girl had to stay in.

Another time I saw an apartment in, what I assumed would be a converted garage.  NOPE.  The bed was right next to the car.  The guy living there was like, "well, if you're lying on your bed and you need fresh air..." and then hit the garage door opener and the door rolled up.

It's not uncommon to see walk in closets rented out as a rooms.  I've seen people squeeze a queen size bed in there.  I wouldn't do that.  There is literally no space at all left.  A twin is a much better way to go.

During the dot com days, people used to rent and sleep in the bike lockers at Caltrain.  That's when they were full sized and solid walled.  Caltrain solved the problem by making them half size and see through.

This stuff happens in San Diego as well.  That's the reason the animal shelter shut down the night drop boxes for people giving up their animals.  The homeless would sleep in them and end up locking themselves in.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: marcia29 on April 29, 2019, 04:02:42 AM
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Oh man, can I relate with this. I lived in SF for four years going to school and the housing sitch was so awful. I saw one apartment with no windows--the only natural light came from a skylight covered in bird excrement.  It felt like the pit the Silence of the Lambs girl had to stay in.

Another time I saw an apartment in, what I assumed would be a converted garage.  NOPE.  The bed was right next to the car.  The guy living there was like, "well, if you're lying on your bed and you need fresh air..." and then hit the garage door opener and the door rolled up.

All I can think of is... ??? ??? ???
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: MsMargo on April 29, 2019, 11:02:54 AM
By the time of Con, the Mayor will have gotten the new law in place: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/City-Issues-New-Ban-on-Sleeping-in-Cars-508513781.html
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: marcia29 on April 30, 2019, 03:18:12 AM
This is one area where tiny housing could be useful.  Many people don't need/want much space at all.  They want a simple, relatively safe place to sleep and live. Recently in my city, I've seen plans for a complex using empty railcars. They are stacking up at the docks.  Although I see keeping them cool as a real challenge, at least it is an effort.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: ripresa on April 30, 2019, 05:37:59 AM
Most women are afraid to be alone in the dark street late night in an unfamiliar city. Only men get the privilege of not worrying about safety all the time.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: puppy on April 30, 2019, 06:48:34 AM
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Most women are afraid to be alone in the dark street late night in an unfamiliar city. Only men get the privilege of not worrying about safety all the time.


I dunno about that.  As a woman, I've had a few occasions when I felt quite confident walking around with my male friends/family, all the while they were scared out of their wits.  Not knowing what the other said, they have told me the same: You don't understand.  If anything happens, you can run.  I have to stay and fight. 

I never really thought about that.  I never expected them to stay and fight, but maybe they did.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: ripresa on April 30, 2019, 09:01:06 AM
In general, alone in a parking lot at 2 am in a strange city, women are more vulnerable then men.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: puppy on April 30, 2019, 09:35:16 AM
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In general, alone in a parking lot at 2 am in a strange city, women are more vulnerable then men.

Would have to agree with you there.  I was just commenting on men not worrying.  They do worry.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: JKingoftheNerds on April 30, 2019, 10:50:04 AM
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Would have to agree with you there.  I was just commenting on men not worrying.  They do worry.

They might worry, I suppose to some extent all humans fear violence, but it's not in the same way/to the same extent that women have to worry. "You can run because you're a *woman* but I have to stay and fight because that's what men do," is lightyears away from the idea that, as a woman I'm precluded from doing things that men can do without thinking, because of the risk of assault. No disrespect intended to your friend.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: puppy on April 30, 2019, 10:54:53 AM
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They might worry, I suppose to some extent all humans fear violence, but it's not in the same way/to the same extent that women have to worry. "You can run because you're a *woman* but I have to stay and fight because that's what men do," is lightyears away from the idea that, as a woman I'm precluded from doing things that men can do without thinking, because of the risk of assault. No disrespect intended to your friend.

My brother takes Krav Maga.  He said there was a tiny woman in his class who was out somewhere.  Don't know what they did to mess with her, but she took down two men.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: JKingoftheNerds on April 30, 2019, 10:59:20 AM
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My brother takes Krav Maga.  He said there was a tiny woman in his class who was out somewhere.  Don't know what they did to mess with her, but she took down two men.

I mean, that's awesome. Good for her.

Edited to add, I'm not being sarcastic. I don't necessarily think an anecdote re: one woman with martial arts training changes the circumstances in general, but I'd love to have the confidence the lady from Krav Magna probably does.
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: chocolateshake on May 14, 2019, 11:28:06 PM
The dream dies.  The city council voted to establish an emergency sleeping in cars ban tonight.  Because it's an emergency it's effective immediately.  It's a strange ban.  Most of the complaints came from residents, but it doesn't seem to ban sleeping in a car in front of someone's house.  It only bans it on streets where overnight parking is prohibited like a business.  Which kills it as an option for downtown comic-con lodging.

They have expanded lot options for safely sleeping in your car to make up for it.  Think of it as urban car camping.

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-City-Council-Considers-Again-Banning-Sleeping-in-Cars-509912371.html
Title: Re: Here's a new option, stay in your car.
Post by: Angel_ on May 15, 2019, 12:09:44 PM
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The dream dies.  The city council voted to establish an emergency sleeping in cars ban tonight.  Because it's an emergency it's effective immediately.  It's a strange ban.  Most of the complaints came from residents, but it doesn't seem to ban sleeping in a car in front of someone's house.  It only bans it on streets where overnight parking is prohibited like a business.  Which kills it as an option for downtown comic-con lodging.

They have expanded lot options for safely sleeping in your car to make up for it.  Think of it as urban car camping.

https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-City-Council-Considers-Again-Banning-Sleeping-in-Cars-509912371.html

Interesting stipulation that you can do it in front of someone's house.... lol party at Alyssa's curb???   :o