# Walmart used to let people camp overnight in their RVs in the parking lot. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 17, 2019, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198 "2019-07-17T06:49:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198/21 "2019-07-18T14:47:45Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > I would assume so, since they have no protection from the elements, nor a bed, nor a bathroom. > > You think differently about people living under bridges? The bathroom in an RV is only good until the holding tank is full. The stove and refrigerator only work if there is propane available, and the water system only works if there is a functioning charged battery or shore power. Most of the homeless RVs in this city are “RVs” only in the sense that they may have wheels and an engine compartment and some sort of box on the back that may or may not be intact. Some of them actually run, but most are unlicensed, inoperable and falling apart. From the photos I’ve seen, the people living in them would likely be better off in a tent. The city, of course, seems to have little clue as to how to deal with them. Oh, and since we live on two rivers, Portland also has a problem with houseboats that are in the same condition as the RVs, with the added attraction of having all the garbage and sewage go right into the rivers. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198/22 "2019-07-18T15:08:57Z")
Seattle has a big problem with homeless in RV’s. Usually the RV’s don’t run. After sitting for a while, the RV is towed for exceeding the city parking zone limits, it’s sold at auction for $5 to $20, then resold for $100 to the previous owner and towed to where it was sitting before. Homeless camper lives in RV till the next time it’s sold. Rinse and repeat. The local news station showed some tape from one of the auctions, it was the owners of towing companies buying the RV’s to sell back to the homeless. The city is trying to find a way to junk the non running RV’s instead of having them put back on the streets. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198/23 "2019-07-18T17:33:10Z")
I think a lot of people would be surprised by what counts as “homeless”. It’s not just the stereotypical guy living under a bridge. There’s apparently more than one “official” definition, but basically it can be anyone who doesn’t have some form of “permanent” housing. Even someone staying with friends or family could be considered homeless if it’s only a temporary arrangement: If Joe goes to his friend and says “Dude, I just got evicted. Can I crash on your couch for a while?” but that only lasts until the friend gets tired of him staying there and asks him to leave, so Joe goes to a different friend and ask to sleep on their couch, until he overstays his welcome, repeat… Joe could be considered homeless by [some definitions](https://www.nhchc.org/faq/official-definition-homelessness/). > [@](#): > > An individual may be considered to be homeless if that person is “doubled up,” a term that refers to a situation where individuals are unable to maintain their housing situation and are forced to stay with a series of friends and/or extended family members. So, getting back to RVs – while that site doesn’t mention them specifically it does mention living in vehicles. I would guess someone living in a RV could be considered homeless if the only reason they are doing so is because they can’t afford the rent on a “real” house or apartment. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198/24 "2019-07-18T18:07:13Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > So, getting back to RVs – while that site doesn’t mention them specifically it does mention living in vehicles. I would guess someone living in a RV could be considered homeless if the only reason they are doing so is because they can’t afford the rent on a “real” house or apartment. I missed the edit window, but thinking about it more, it seems the key as to whether you are homeless or not is whether your housing situation is “stable”. So it comes down to like what racer72 said above – if you’re living in an RV, but it keeps getting towed because it’s not registered, parked illegally, or because Wal-Mart decides they don’t want you _living_ in their parking lot; they just want RV that are temporarily parked overnight, then your living situation isn’t really stable and you can be considered homeless. Your retired parents living in a brand new RV and traveling around in it, staying in proper campgrounds and RV parks, are not homeless, because they have stable access to their RV all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198/25 "2019-07-18T18:35:15Z")
At Walmart. 2 RVs in the lot. A nice 5th wheel and one that fits the description of “homeless”. ---
**Author:** ![Pabitel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbce88/32.png) [@Pabitel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pabitel)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198/26 "2019-07-18T19:08:56Z")
The reason a lot of Walmarts now don’t allow overnighting, or boon-docking, as it is usually called, is because the jurisdiction they are in has banned it. “Recently local towns have begun to pass ordinances that prohibit overnight parking. So if a Walmart is in that jurisdiction they will not be able to allow campers to park overnight.” [cite](https://rvblogger.com/blog/rv-parking-at-walmart/) ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198/27 "2019-07-18T19:11:57Z")
The WalMart just south of Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colorado is ideally located for post concert napping/sobering up before heading home the next morning. Your Welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2019, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198/28 "2019-07-18T21:00:41Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > There’s a really interesting book called [Nomadland](https://www.amazon.com/Nomadland-Surviving-America-Twenty-First-Century/dp/039324931X) about the large numbers of people surviving (sometimes just barely) in their RVs while wandering through a series of gig jobs. Amazon even has a name for them: Workampers. They occasionally provide RV space for their seasonal workforce. My mom and stepdad are Workampers. [Workamper](https://workamper.com/)is an actual organization, not just a name Amazon came up with. My folks have absolutely loved it, getting to travel, see many great parts of the country, and work in some beautiful, interesting places. They even won “Workampers of the Year” a few years ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/walmart-used-to-let-people-camp-overnight-in-their-rvs-in-the-parking-lot/837198.md?page=1)