RV Parks are full

Merry Christmas! Curious if anyone has had any luck finding a suitable place to park an RV for long-term housing? Been calling around for days, and all the RV parks are full in our area… wondering if it might be possible to rent land outside of city for my son’s housing.

Has anyone tried this? How did it work out?

I kept hoping people would respond to this thread. I have wondered about this option myself.

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I don’t know anything about RV’s or parks etc…myself but, maybe if you could include the state you are looking in it could trigger some replies. Also I have found that contact the Chamber of Commerce in the area you are searching sometimes they can be a wealth of information…just a thought.

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Looking in Northern California.

Will try Chamber of Commerce… thanks for this suggestion. I have left several messages for our homeless service agency, but they have not called back.

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it’s so hard to find housing. I like this idea.

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The RV has worked reasonably well for the past four years. It helps having space in between my family member and neighbors, because sounds are heard so much more loudly.

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If your family member is able to care for them self and has some control through meds, an RV could be a great option. Most of the RV parks that I could afford were not good for our situation. To many people in the streets hanging out and just not the quality of living I was wanting for my adult son. The majority of RV parks I checked out won’t allow felons. My son is a felon from his teenage years so I had a huge challenge. I ended up buying an older RV in great shape and putting it on our property of 10 acres. It’s close to the house.

I was so excited about this because my son has been living on the streets for over five years. I had to do something for his safety and my sanity. As of today, he had been living in his RV for about 10 weeks. He does not take meds and had not showered regularly for years. He wears the same cloths for months. Things started out really well. He would shower and use the micro and AC. He would come into the house and visit and eat dinner with the family. Now, four weeks later, he stopped using the shower and tore out the plumbing, turned off the fridge and has completely destroyed the inside. He has removed most of the electrical panels and taken apart the TV and stereo. He has torn out the furnace piping and insulation, unhooked the hot water heater and removed the furnace control panel. He still has lights and one outlet works. He has become more isolated than ever and I’m starting to worry because he is now starting a fire inside the RV to help keep warm.

He does plug in a new heater that I purchased and it is doing the job. His psychosis is getting worse and of course he won’t allow me in the trailer. I take him food everyday and invite him in to shower and wash his cloths on a daily basis. So far no success. I’m starting to wonder if it’s time to interfere because of the fire situation. He is now black from the smoke. I don’t regret my decision and the money I have lost due to the damage. I have him here with me and I know hes safe but now I wonder how safe. I could sure use some suggestions for how to move forward. Thanks for listening.

New member.

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@Rhonda

Yours must be like mine, searching for proof that you or someone is watching him. We built a garage apartment on our property for our son. Just since late last May, his delusions about us have grown so much more intense There had been some damage to the walls when I was last in his place. Yesterday I was inside and discovered much more damage, in particular around electrical outlets. A ceiling fixture has been taken down and dismantled in his search for such devices. One morning in early December we woke up to find out he had unplugged everything electrical outside - stuff like the pump for his septic tank and the mosquito zapper.

I don’t know what sort of help you have where you are, are you comfortable naming the state or country? I think a fire in the RV is a really credible “danger to self” situation.

I agree fire is danger to self, and in California, starting fires met criteria for hospitalization in two families that I know. In my opinion, this is unsafe.

Thanks for your reply Hope. It does sound like our situations are very much alike. There is something about the electricity that works on my son something terrible. He has unplugged our electric fence a few times too.

I’ve found that I can talk to my son about the electricity on occasion. I tell him I know we can’t make it go away but we can try to tolerate it in order to stay warm in his RV. Sometimes he calms down and agrees. We live in Missouri. I do have access to a local mental health facility and a social worker that is familiar with my son. Yes, it may be time to give them a call.

He has a warrant for trespassing so I hesitate because I know they will incarcerate him. In Missouri, he will have to ask to go before a mental health judge if he goes to court for any reason. There is NO way he will do this so I worry. I’ve been through this a hundred times. I’m hoping the social worker I’ve dealt with will be willing to appear in court if I follow through with the call. She has been helpful in the past and I’ll have to have all my ducks in a row before I make the call. I know he now a danger to himself.

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So sorry he has to ask to go before a mental health judge - there’s always seems to be a “catch” to things that are put in place to help us.

Mine has never spoken with me about his issues except for accusing us of spying on him. His delusions about his dad and I are really getting in the way of me being able to help him. I’m glad yours has been able to talk with you.

Being unmedicated is such a challenge for us. You have done really well that he came home and lived in the RV. We try so hard to get them in a situation where they are safe, they make it so difficult at times.

I hope you are able to get the social worker on board with you. We do a line up a lot of ducks in this business.

@Rhonda I would not delay on doing something. He is endangering himself, there is no question about that.

I know how difficult to come to that conclusion, and I understand your willingness to try just about anything you think might work out - also the heartbreak when the illness completely sabotages all your efforts.

I agree that you did the right thing by trying this. I’m hopeful he is safe.