20 disappointing photos show what converted van living is really like
In Queens, New York, a 1995 Chevrolet conversion van is being advertised on Airbnb. But in order to save on hotel prices, travelers will have to skimp on air conditioning.
Despite its clean decor, this 2002 Honda Odyssey is more of a bed than a home.
Many are forced to sleep on top of their belongings, meaning beds are located quite close to the roof.
And there's not always enough room to stretch out your legs.
Even with lacquered wood paneling and granite countertops, van life can be quite isolating.
Dwellers are often forced to cook on small stoves or hot plates.
At night, dwellers sometimes park in campgrounds, on national forest lands, in Walmart parking lots, or on the beach.
Despite occasional issues, many dwellers say this experience is well worth it. "I'd rather have a tiny messy house on wheels, and be free, than to have a perfect 5 bedroom house that calls on me to work 9-5 to survive," one Instagram user wrote.
But for many who are struggling financially, living in a van isn't a choice. A 24-year-old Tesla employee, for example, lived in a van for five months to pay off $14,000 in student loans.
Van dwelling has also increased significantly in areas with large homeless populations. Below, artist Ira Watkins lives and works out of his van in San Francisco's Bayview-Hunters Point district.
Some local organizations, such as Laundry Love in Huntington Beach, California, partner with laundromats to help homeless people do their laundry for free.
And in Kirkland, Washington, Tamara Bancroft lives in one of two dozen vans that house homeless single women in a church parking lot.
For thousands of Americans who reside in their vehicles, van living isn't a luxury — it's a necessity.
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