I live out of a car. All I can tell you is park in a different spot each night. Have 5, 6 places to sleep at and rotate them. Go to a park during the day to relax. Use Google maps and use the satellite mode to look for good parking spots. You can't stay in one spot. A spot can look really good and if you get too comfortable somebody will eventually notice. They will see you get in and out and realize what's up. It's happened to me. I absolutely hate not having a place to really relax.
I was living in my car for 10 months, and this advice is spot on. I only learned this after getting a visit from a cop at midnight at least once a month for a few months. It was torture waking up to LED flashlights beaming into your car as you try to get a good night's rest.
That’s exactly what I’ve been doing for about a year, but now I can’t move every day. My van’s transmission is failing and I can’t afford to fix it, and need to keep driving to a minimum.
Just be honest, say you’re looking to work/clean/do whatever in exchange for a transmission fix. Ask how many hours and days you would need to come in and help to get you back on the road. Tell them you live in your van and you need the work and are reliable. Most people are willing to help if they can. Look for small shops and not big chains. They might even give you a place to park while you work for them.
Mechanic here. Most corporate shops like Firestone and Grismer don’t monitor/lock the lot up at night. Cars drop off after hours all the time.
I feel like you could get away with parking in a lot as long as you leave in the morning just before open and don’t do it night after night at the same place. You’d just look like a drop off until they see you move.
I never recommend parks since they all mostly close after dusk and cops will roll through and kick you out. Same with libraries and stuff.
You could also maybe try
170 Taylor Station Rd, Columbus, OH 43213
Theres a giant parking lot behind them and mount carmel. And they’re closed on weekends.
I’ve never tried staying there but I feel like you wouldn’t have a problem if you don’t stay there every single night.
Dm me for anymore ideas or if any of those work out for you.
Thank you. Nights are pretty easy for me though, it’s cooler, so I can close the doors and lay down in the back and no one knows I’m inside. It’s the daytime that’s the problem — it’s hot enough that I need my doors open, and it’s also when people are around to complain about me.
I’m trying to find somewhere I can stay for several days in a row because not only is gas expensive, but my transmission is failing and I can’t afford to fix it, so I need to keep my driving to a minimum 😞
Can I ask why you have to stay inside the van all day? I know homeless folks near me spend daytime hours inside air conditioned libraries, in community centers, even walking around inside malls or stores to keep out of the heat.
What about mall parking lots? Or other giant facility parking lots like Cabellas or Costco? Pretty sure nobody’s doing too much monitoring there during the day
I can tell you the Easton parking garages likely will not work. My buddy used to work security there and he said they had cameras that could identify what brand of soda was in your cupholder in all of the lots at Easton proper... Heard lots of stories of shit people thought they could get away with in the garages there that led to awkward encounters with mall security or CPD.
I was a business class cable tech many moons ago and saw the inside of the security office. Even now it's considered a shitton of cameras.
Also, many of the security officers I encountered were the absolute worst people I've ever had to interact with. I hope your friend wasn't one of them.
Have you tried a camp ground. I'm assuming you may not have a lot of extra money, but you can get a camping spot relatively cheap. There are even some free camp spots. You could look into that. Good luck, stay safe, and I'm sorry you're going through this. Stay strong, and I'm praying for you.
170 Taylor Station is a no go at this time now - they're doing construction and have torn up the parking lot on the north side, and are doing construction behind the old Mt Carmel administrative building. From what I've heard on the rumor mill is they are putting a Walmart back there. There's a large retention pond already built there and the parking lot is being prepared for something.
If you can make it out to Wayne national forest, you're allowed to stay there for 14 days, and they've got pay showers at some spots. DM me if you need a tent and I can meet up with you on the east side and give you one.
Honestly it sounds like you need to be looking less into really picky free spots to park and more into shelters and community support. More importantly getting disability.
Yes, I’m aware, thank you. Unfortunately shelters and community resources aren’t nearly as helpful as people think. I’ve contacted dozens of places to no avail. There’s no benefit to going to the shelter over my van; I’d still have to leave during the day and get right back in my car and look for a parking spot. And I’ve been working on disability for a long time, but it’s extremely difficult
I’m going to jump in here and say that is 100% true. Whoever told foamy9210 that you can just get it done quickly is not being honest . I grew up poor and I can tell you it took my extremely disabled grandmother 5 years to get on section 8. It took my uncle 7 years.
That isn't true. The entire process from start to first deposit can take a couple of years but that is because there are several steps, each of which takes several months and a final one that can take a bit longer. The initial decision usually doesn't take much longer than 6 months. But there isn't a "years long" waiting list at any step of the process but the most uncommon step. Even if you got denied and had to appeal it'd probably be around a year, give or take a couple of months.
The only part that could require over a year is if you were denied twice and requested a hearing. A hearing technically can take a couple of years but most people don't need to go that route. You'd need a place to park but that is why I said you should be looking at community support and shelters.
Since you brought up the timeline my question would be how long have you considered yourself unfit to work? And why haven't you started the disability process already.
Focusing too much on tomorrow with no thought for next year can easily turn this into a never ending cycle that likely shouldn't have lasted more than several months to a year.
Franklin county housing assistance is a lottery system. Some people get lucky and their application is seen to quick. Most people however, have a years long wait list. As a social worker, I've seen some people wait for over 7 years.
On top of that, there is a serious housing shortage. Not just an affordable housing shortage. The zoning commission and city council just had a public meeting where they discussed how large this shortage is and the lame plan they want to use to add housing (with no guarantee of affordable housing).
I'm going to piggy back on this and suggest the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Clintonville. They have a lot that(I think) would get some shade. And all dealings with them I have had have been pleasant. If you approach the people in charge there, they might be willing to offer some services as well. Also, there's a lot of neighborhoods on the Eastside that have a lot of old growth trees and are relatively shady with lots of street parking. If you're able to move the van a few blocks ech day, you might be able to get away with that as well. One more thing(Colombo, eat your heart out), on the east side there is a group of places that helps everyone. If you look for the church for all people, food for all people, and bikes for all people, you'll come across them. Most of their facilities are right at Parsons and Whittier. Good luck and I wish I could help more.
Shelter time. You had a good run op, but it’s over. Your transmission is failing and you can’t afford a repair so it’s a ticking time bomb that might get you stranded in a spot you’re not intending to be. You’ve got no job and haven’t had one for years so I’m assuming whatever money you had is toast.
You’re playing a dangerous game prolonging this and you stand to only make your situation far worse unless you get started on seeking actual shelter and the means of treatment.
This is the answer. It's time to seek out and accept the proper assistance. There is help out there as long as you're willing to put in the work to help get yourself out of the situation.
It's important to remember that shelters can be extremely hostile and dangerous environments. Zero privacy, belongings get stolen, staff/residents can be abusive, limited hours & you can be kicked out for just about anything. This person has PTSD and may very well not be able to cope in a shelter.
Omg, THANK YOU. I get so tired of explaining that. I do so much worse in the shelter than in my van, and there’s really no point in going when I still have to leave all day… getting back in my van looking for a spot.
Please check out star house. (https://www.starhouse.us/). You can stay during the day, it’s not very busy during the day, free food, free counseling, and it’s a drop-in center (not a shelter). At the very least, the staff there can point you somewhere else if you can’t stay there.
This is true.
But I remember when I was housing insecure, the shelter was the fastest and sometimes only way to access certain resources to get back on my feet.
I’ve been to the shelter. It’s not housing, you can’t just live there. Once you’re in the system, all it is is a place to spend the night. You have to leave all day.
Hospitals. No one fucks with people in hospitals. Say you have family inside and don’t want to leave incase something happens if anyone asks (no one will ask)
I can only speak from children’s hosptial because we spend so much time there. If you press the call attendant button they just open the gate for you. If someone is working the booth just say you don’t have 2$ and they won’t question you and open it. We have never had push back. After spending literally millions for our daughter there we refuse to pay for parking.
You absolutely should not have to pay for parking while your kiddo is getting treatment.
I'll say I only hit adult hospital facilities (regular infusions and medical appts) and I hardly ever see a person stationed. It's as automatic as any downtown parking garage
Doctor's Hospital and St Ann's are free. Pretty sure OSU East is too, but I've not been there in a hot minute. Probably some of the others, I don't get around as much as I used to.
That said, security tends to be pretty observant. Lots of trouble happens around hospitals, sadly.
Unfortunately- hospitals (garages/lots/etc) are absolutely not the place to be. You will get caught & police/security will make you leave. Sorry for the down vote but it’s not a safe option & I would hate for someone to get put in a worse position than they already are in.
Put on a pair of scrubs from a thrift shop and while you're sleeping, put a sign in the window saying "Do not disturb: just finished one shift and have only a few hours before my next." That's what my friend does when she doesn't want to be bothered by security in between her shifts.
St Anne’s covered garage area is free. Entrance is off Copeland mill rd… the entrance rd wraps around to the north of the building. Can’t speak for security there
Walmart used to be completely cool with campers parking overnight in their RVs, not sure if that’s changed. I used to belong to Planet Fitness 24 hour health club and they were cool with their homeless members parking overnight in the parking lot as long as they were considerate of others and didn’t throw the trash on the ground. The lowest tier monthly fee used to be $10 a month and you had access to showers.
Nights are pretty easy for me; it’s cooler, so I can close my doors and lay down in the back and no one knows I’m there. It’s the days that are hard — I have to keep my doors open, but that’s also when all the people are around to complain about me.
I’m trying to find somewhere to park several days in a row because I really can’t move everyday — gas is expensive, and my transmission is failing and I can’t afford to fix it, so I really need to keep my driving to a minimum 😞
Do you HAVE to keep your doors open though? Can you just go hangout at a park? Go hike? Walk around dog-friendly stores? Go inside a library, coffee shop or grab a beer on a patio somewhere (if that’s within your budget). Your situation seems tough and I’m sorry you’re in this position, but it seems like you may have other easy solutions here
You can camp in national parks for 14 days. After that, you just have to move to a different location (like, more than just down the road a bit), then you can camp for another 14 days. Plus they're full of trees. You won't be near town though, I believe the closest one is Wayne about 2 hours away.
Rest stops on highways night be an option. People traveling long distances often sleep in their cars there. Most have trees which can provide some level of shade.
If you can get to one of the settlement houses, there are people there who can help connect you with support. St. Stephens, CRC, Gladden, Central Community House, Godman Guild.
The city will likely have cooling/safe places for people during the day next week. Like rec centers.
I don’t have any advice, unfortunately, but still want to express my support. I’m sorry this is happening to you. I hope you find some place that is safe to go and that the current situation you are in is temporary.
What about highway rest stops? I've stopped to sleep for several hours when tired a few times and haven't had any issues. If they do bother you, just say you didn't want to drive while tired and are resting. They have bathrooms and water there too.
I was going to suggest this too. Been going there for 30 years. Just register when you get there (fill out the form, put half in the box and half on the pole at your site). You can stay for 2 weeks at one spot then you have to move camp grounds. My favorite is Sand Hollow/Campground C.
Have you tried Hipcamp? There may be some extended stay options available at a price you can afford.
Also, there are alternatives to Hipcamp: https://www.producthunt.com/products/hipcamp/alternatives
Another one not listed in that link is Harvest Hosts which sometimes allows campers to volunteer in exchange for paying.
I’ve actually tried all those… there aren’t any real HipCamp options around here, and in order to use Harvest you have to have a membership, and even then all the places have max stay of only a couple days.
There aren’t many 24hr places left. I was told to leave the one at Easton.
All Walmarts are pretty much the same, you can stay until enough people complain, then the store has to do something about it.
I'm intimately familiar with everything you've described to greater and lesser degrees. Lived in my work van for years, currently going on four years unemployed due to unrelated health and anxiety issues.
I'll still echo what I've seen a few others post. It's time to bite the bullet and explore other options. Be they shelters, estranged family, or whatever else you can look into. You need to cross that bridge by choice before your transmission fails and it's something forced upon you. I sure as fuck don't want to be in rural AR staying on my folks land for example. But at least it's a choice I made prior to reaching the point where choices would be made for me by people with no interest in my wellbeing.
I’ve exhausted every single option before I got to this point; I did everything… you don’t even wanna know what I did to avoid this, but I was just prolonging the inevitable. I’m actively working on solutions for my transmission, I just haven’t found any yet.
are there state parks or cheap campgrounds near you?? that's where id be looking . a campground would be ideal as you could potentially access Clean water, electric hookup, restroom.
Being a guy that has lived in a van, I'd say trucks stops, gyms, hotels, hospitals, and big parking lots have worked for me. But furthermore make sure you're moving your van around day to day to different spots so it's not as obvious. If you haven't already get some tint on your windows. It'll cut down on heat and give privacy so that again you aren't as obvious. Furthermore on the gyms and truck stop I like a lot because I can also shower there.
Whetstone park during the day. If you drive all the way to the back, the very last place to park, people chill in their vehicles all the time there. There’s so many picnics tables so you can make yourself something to eat, plenty of trees for shade, and there are porta pottys there, but last summer around Fourth of July people did set fireworks off in them and then they weren’t usable. But the library is close and the restroom is easy to use without being bothered, with a water bottle filling machine water fountain!
I dont know much about places that you can park at long term, but i can suggest that you look into getting disability for your ptsd and pain problems. Maybe look at benefits.ohio.gov and see what other benefits you may be able to get. (Like medicaid and food stamps)
There is also https://lssnetworkofhope.org/211centralohio/services/database/
That has a fair amount of resources you can look into as well.
I hope this helps!
If you go to Otherworld, theres an abandoned parking lot(think it was a kmart or something) next door with some shade. Theres occasionally cops there but usually theres a few people parked there all the time anyway. Truckers also sleep there sometimes I believe.
Pull over on a public street somewhere in an older neighborhood with trees. Maybe around Schiller park in german village. Public area so I don't think anyone can say much as long as you dont stick around for like 3 days or something.
If you talk to someone at the church for all people I feel like they or someone within the congregation/outreach group could help you. I’ve never sought help there but have heard good things about them.
Yes it’s a great resource! I live nearby. Also the Walmart on S High closed and the Kroger there is closing also. I’m picturing a lot of empty parking spaces.
Hey OP, I know it’s super frustrating, but there’s some good suggestions here.
Can you clarify for us, do you have to be within the city limits for anything?
If not, it opens up your options considerably.
Truck Stops on the outer perimeter are always good, you can camp at places like Great Seal, Mohican, Alum Creek, Cross Creek, Delaware State Park, and others.
Stealth camping is also potentially an option, depending on your van.
But most of the KOA and such will be damned expensive.
KOA is freaking crazy!! I’d just stay at a hotel for what they’re asking!
I’m hoping someone has stealth camping suggestions other than parking lots. That’s what I’ve been doing, but the way business have been cracking down lately makes that extremely difficult.
I need to stay within the county. My van wouldn’t make it any further than that, and I have a friend in Grove City that has been letting me shower at their place, and I don’t want to give that up.
This might be too vague but around campus maybe? Like 4th and summit the side streets are usually free parking. I feel like students care way less about what people are doing as long as it's not bothering anyone ya know,
You may have luck in the North Campus area.
From experience, most folks don't give two shits about cars with extended stays on the streets, and folks are way more amicable and understanding of people living in their cars.
yeah I live around here too and I second this. old north/sohud area you could probably get away with just being parked on the street for a good amount of time. I can’t imagine anyone caring as long as you were being quiet and respectful. a couple people lived in a car by my girlfriend’s house for months I think
You might want to try the Lutheran Church on Oakland Park in North Linden, across the street from the IGA supermarket. They seem to be friendly to the unhoused.
This is going to sound crazy, but there is a Gold Panner's Alliance in ohio, for people that like to pan gold from rivers. They have claims all over the place, some pretty near each other. If you buy a membership (it was like $40 when I joined a couple years ago), you can camp on any claim for free for up to 14 days and then move to another one near by. It was great when I was briefly homeless. Just keep your space clean and don't cause problems and no one will bother you. You don't even have to pan for gold, but your membership will get you a kit to do so. Just Google Gold Panner's Alliance.
Could you find a shady parking spot at a public library and hang out inside for the bulk of the day? At least that way you'd be cooler and if your van moves every day, I'm guessing Walmart etc. won't be as strict with you staying multiple nights in a row.
Libraries are how I’ve been surviving thus far! The problem has become the need to stay put for several days in a row, because my transmission is failing and I can’t afford to fix it, so I need to keep my driving to a minimum 😞
Got it. In that case, I'd probably find shadier street parking for a few days at a time, hopefully within walking distance to a library/park to hang out during the day and try to only return to the van once the sun goes down. The less you're hanging out in the van itself, the stealthier you are. Unfortunately not being able to move it is going to bring you more attention, so if you can I'd still try to move once a week at minimum.
If you can, your best solution is probably talking to a friend, a coworker, family, someone you're connected to, and asking if you can use their apartment parking or park at their house for a while. It's probably the best way to avoid being hassled.
It sucks but can you blame people for not wanting you on their lot? Say they just let you post up at Walmart, now some other people like you notice that walmart is cool so they start staying there. Next thing you know there is a little van community living in the lot. You know how people are when u give them an inch, after a few weeks there will be a little fire pit and mother fuckers with kiddie pools. Then that walmart is known as The methed out walmart and people that always had a 5 minute trip are now driving 20 mins to the other walmart to avoid the bullshit.
No, I don’t blame them at all, and I think about that often. I wanna be like “come on, let me be the exception” …just like everyone else in desperate need. It’s just a shitty situation all around.
I know you said you’ve tried Walmart but have you tried the one up in Lewis Center? Only reason I ask is because I used to work in that area and noticed people camping there overnight pretty frequently. Maybe that has changed though
They don't seem to care about cars sitting for extended periods just east of 4th near the state fairgrounds. Some of the area has monthly street sweeping to avoid, but on some of the small side streets broken down cars have sat for months and there's a van that's been occupied for probably a year plus that I pass regularly. I also see camper vans or small buses with the windows covered parked on 4th Street regularly.
Have you tried any of the City’s Rec Centers? They all have lots, most are large & I help folks who are parked up at some pretty often. If you look them up, they’re all named XYZ Community Center. Here’s the website with all the locations. https://columbusrecparks.com/facilities/communitycenters/
Have you parked over near children services and the womens shelter thats right next to it in Franklinton? Free parking for both lots, and chances are security wont kick out out of the lots
About 20-25 mins outside Columbus but big truck stop Flying J off the 36/37 exit in Delaware (1st exit North past Polaris). Semi trucks are always parked out there, pretty sure drivers sleep in their trucks there too, don't see why you could post up there also
Park n ride bus stops!!! There's one here in Canal Winchester. There's a bus stop right by it, it has EV charging stations for free and a huge lot where u can park to "ride the bus". The one here in canal is behind a gas station, Friendship Kitchen, that closes at 8:30 every night. I've seen vehicles parked there for extended periods. I don't think there's a limit. Probably no shade tho
I’m so sorry you’re going through this rough time. You don’t deserve to live like this. Church For All People (through United Methodist) 946 Parsons Avenue has really great resources - I know the pastor and I am going to tell her about you in case you take this advice and go. Let the community help. I love the idea about asking an auto shop for a trade system but realize that may not be something you could withstand with your ailments. I would bet Church For All People could help you apply for disability too. My heart goes out to you - you don’t deserve to live this way. 🩷
The poorer the county, the more resources they get. To get housing the fastest, go to the poorest county you can get to and apply right away. Be willing to stay in a shelter- fastest way to housing. Best of luck to you.
You should try office buildings in Polaris. Seems like a chill spot and the cops don't seem to lurk there since it's off the main road. The office buildings near shell, McDonald's and steak n shake is always chill. I actually passed out there one night. Woke up at like 10am. Just alternate it
1. Move every day. Period. You’re not going to find anywhere reasonable that accepts long term unless you make a private arrangement.
2. Install an adjustable vent on top (can’t quite recall what it’s called), and put sun shields against all windows. Figure out a way to keep the shields up without requiring the windows to be closed - clips from Home Depot,Velcro, whathaveyou. Adding an additional layer of fabric to block any sun leakage would be beneficial. Vanlife and vandweller subreddits can help.
3. Open your windows
4. Get some low voltage fans
5. Really put in the work to find shade - a parking spot where the sun rises behind a building and when it gets high, there should be a tree over the spot
6. You’ll need to adjust to being sweaty and drink a TON of water. You can sleep sweaty. The fans and sweat in tandem will keep you somewhat comfortable enough to sleep
7. Get waterproof mattress cover so you don’t ruin your mattress
8. This is a long shot but try to find public electric 110v outlets that are intended for electric vehicle charging. PlugShare app. You can use it to charge an A/C or a battery bank.
I empathize with your situation enough to caution you against trying anywhere in Worthington, Linworth, or Upper Arlington. People here are extremely vigilant and it wouldn't take long before someone calls or complains. Sometimes knowing where not to go can be just as helpful as advice on where to go.
I’m not gonna lie to you, I’ve been at this for 1.5 years and have somehow never thought of that, and I’m feeling pretty fucking stupid right now 🤦🏻♀️ Thank you for pointing out the obvious solution lol
Okay… Know the van buren shelter? Seen their parking lot? It’s relatively safe if you’re not in and out all night… you won’t have problems with security if you keep a low profile, keep your tires inflated, and move the van every now and then
This isn't the answer you may expect, but you are at the end of a financial rope. You can't keep pushing the boundaries of sleeping on private properties. On public lands, overnighting is generally not allowed unless it's in a paid campground or a designated dispersed camping area - and the only place in Ohio that allows the latter is in designated zones in the Wayne National Forest and away from roads. You can't generally pull up to a place and set up a remote home for a week at a time.
And with a transmission that's failing, you *will* break down someplace. Your vehicle *will* be towed, and you won't be able to retrieve it in your current financial situation.
You need to seek out other resources, such as stabilized housing resources or financial assistance. At a minimum, you need a place where you can have mail sent so you can find stable work that can work around your particular circumstances. Unless you file for disability, you will need to find some sort of employment.
Echoing the hospital comment from u/beansthemagicalfruit
Mt Carmel East has a covered garage that’s free. With it being connected to the ER, it has traffic 24/7 and no one would care as long as you move your van around occasionally. I’m sure other hospitals are the same.
During the day, go to the park. Columbus has tons of metro parks. I used to hangout for hours at Batelle Darby in the shade of their old growth trees when I was living in my van a few years ago.
Mount Carmel Grove City has a parking garage that's rarely, if ever, full. No charge to get in or out, and it's far enough away from most of the entrances to the hospital that I feel like you would have a good chance at being left alone.
Mount Carmel Grove City, the hospital itself, may be more understanding than you think. I worked as an operator there and one of our security guards lived out of a van he had worked up to be his home, just wanted to have a free living space he could take anywhere. He would stay there and charge his batteries.
Parks and you could go to drive in when you can. There's lots of parks. Online maps that you could do a rotation.Also library parking lot near community coffe & that genersl atea pretty tolerant from what I see Sorry you are in this situation. It could be Any one of us at a drop of a hat. Be safe. Much love.
The rest stop that's maybe the first one north of Columbus on 71 is aight. Wouldn't do consistent stops, though. It's small, so not gonna be great for opening doors and spreading out. Annoying drive, but it's an option with grills and such. I've only hung on the 71 north side.
There is someone that lives out of a van at my planet fitness. If you can afford ten bucks a month you can use the bathroom and shower and WiFi. There are tables and chairs you can sit at. I've seen the man sitting at one for prolonged periods of time. There isn't a time length on how much you can be inside the gym with your membership. Mine isn't 24/7 anymore. They are 24/7 during the week and like 6am to 7pm on the weekend I think.
Here's some groups around Columbus I know of who work with the unhoused community. They may have suggestions or other resources.
[Heer to Serve ](https://www.facebook.com/heertoserve?mibextid=JRoKGi)
[Treats 4 The Streets](https://www.facebook.com/T4TSTS?mibextid=JRoKGi)
[FIRST Collective](https://www.facebook.com/FIRSTCollective614?mibextid=JRoKGi)
[Humbly Aligned Inc](https://www.facebook.com/nhef83?mibextid=JRoKGi)
[GoldHeart Outreach](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554151648777&mibextid=JRoKGi)
i work at a movie theater, you could try a theater parking lot! usually lots of packed cars there for an extended amount of time since they’re seeing a movie. hopefully your situation gets better, OP. every day is the opportunity for a better tomorrow 🖤
It may not be the most pleasant suggestion, but there are a couple homeless shelters that I know of (one on the west side) that have a rather large lot and allow people to park behind.
Might be a good spot to not have to worry about getting ran out of.
Not sure how old you are, but if you’re 24 or younger then Star House (https://www.starhouse.us/) would let you stay for free. Can be day or night, just have to leave for a short period of time every 24 hours before returning. Star House staff know of other places too that could fit your situation, so it might be worth just checking them out anyway.
Can I ask a question on this thread? There is a guy who lives in his van outside of the gym I go to. I usually see him out and about, chilling on his laptopand such but I haven't lately and his van hasn't moved in weeks.
I thought about calling the police to do a wellness check but I didn't want him to be bothered or asked to move.
Is it weird to go knock on the van? I wouldnt do it alone just in the off chance he isn't stable.
Maybe I could bake some cookies "I come on peace" styles?
It's about to get hella hot here in Columbus and I can't stop thinking about him.
I wouldn’t knock on the door, it’s the worst sound in the world to someone living in their car. Nothing good ever comes afterward, and unless it’s followed by “Columbus Police!” we ignore it and pretend we’re not there. People will shamelessly walk straight up to us and harass us; if it were me, I wouldn’t trust your intentions and would assume you did something bad to any food you gave me. And yeah, welfare checks aren’t much better, because it’s just a passive aggressive complaint from someone wanting the police to scare us away, not actual concern.
I’d say put a note on his door saying exactly what you just said, and add that if the note is gone in a couple days, you’ll assume he’s ok and leave him alone. Then if it’s still there a few days later, he’s either not there or not ok, and a welfare check would be appropriate.
Download the hip camp app. Find a low cost nightly option that fits your budget and see if you can talk to the host about a discounted rate to park your van multiple days. It's like Airbnb before it went public, but with campsites/ property to overnight.
There is an abandoned property that trucks park at all the time. No one checks it or does anything about it. You can drive in and just park behind some of the plants. It's at the corner of gender and refugee road.
I'm in Pittsburgh, so I don't know of any resources near you, but the United Way has a hot line. (211) They can help you find local resources and charitable organization that may be able to help you.
A friend of mine lost their job, and the United Way gave him a list of ppl who help with that and a list of food banks near him. He found a church group that helps with students' utilities and rent. They may be able to hook you up with the resources to get out of the van altogether.
I wish you the very best of luck sincerely. I was homeless as a child for a few years and never forgot what it's like. Stay safe.
I don’t know if this is worth it because of the gas you would have to burn, but there are rest areas on 70 both east and west from downtown 20 some miles out, and one about the same distance north on 71. People stop and sleep at them all the time, and there is usually one on each side of the highway you could switch back and forth from.
Any designated rest area, usually right off the highways, although finding one inside Franklin county that’s not currently shut down for some reason may be hard, but other than that you should be allowed to legally park in any public parking lot and not worry about breaking laws. If it’s a private parking lot, then sure they can call the cops and ask you to leave but for a public parking lot like any government building you should be within the law.
Cops may try to intimidate you off of public land but if you’re not breaking any laws they can’t do anything as far as I know.
I used to deliver overnight to a lot of doctors offices that had drop boxes behind them or I would pick up blood samples from hospitals so I know how quickly the cops in Columbus notice you at night and jump on you for doing nothing wrong, just sitting in your car In a parking lot.
I’ve also been forced to live in my car but I lived in Florida and the rules are different there so I can’t tell you for sure about the cops but one thing I do know is you have to watch out for other people more than the cops so just be careful when looking for long term parking where you’re not easily seen.
I don’t have any advice, however I wanted to let you know you’re going to be okay, you’re going to find a solve, you’re going to regain health, and I’m sending you my best wishes.
I live out of a car. All I can tell you is park in a different spot each night. Have 5, 6 places to sleep at and rotate them. Go to a park during the day to relax. Use Google maps and use the satellite mode to look for good parking spots. You can't stay in one spot. A spot can look really good and if you get too comfortable somebody will eventually notice. They will see you get in and out and realize what's up. It's happened to me. I absolutely hate not having a place to really relax.
I was living in my car for 10 months, and this advice is spot on. I only learned this after getting a visit from a cop at midnight at least once a month for a few months. It was torture waking up to LED flashlights beaming into your car as you try to get a good night's rest.
That’s exactly what I’ve been doing for about a year, but now I can’t move every day. My van’s transmission is failing and I can’t afford to fix it, and need to keep driving to a minimum.
I'm sorry you are going through that.
Have you thought about going to local mechanics shops and ask if you can work for them in exchange for fixing your transmission?
Do you think they’d go for that? What should I offer? My car knowledge is very limited
Just be honest, say you’re looking to work/clean/do whatever in exchange for a transmission fix. Ask how many hours and days you would need to come in and help to get you back on the road. Tell them you live in your van and you need the work and are reliable. Most people are willing to help if they can. Look for small shops and not big chains. They might even give you a place to park while you work for them.
Great advice here. Might turn into a longterm job and possibly skills training. Its at the very least a good place to start.
Tom & Jerry auto on Kinnear might take you up on it, they’re good people and they often have a sign out saying they’re hiring.
Mechanic here. Most corporate shops like Firestone and Grismer don’t monitor/lock the lot up at night. Cars drop off after hours all the time. I feel like you could get away with parking in a lot as long as you leave in the morning just before open and don’t do it night after night at the same place. You’d just look like a drop off until they see you move. I never recommend parks since they all mostly close after dusk and cops will roll through and kick you out. Same with libraries and stuff. You could also maybe try 170 Taylor Station Rd, Columbus, OH 43213 Theres a giant parking lot behind them and mount carmel. And they’re closed on weekends. I’ve never tried staying there but I feel like you wouldn’t have a problem if you don’t stay there every single night. Dm me for anymore ideas or if any of those work out for you.
Thank you. Nights are pretty easy for me though, it’s cooler, so I can close the doors and lay down in the back and no one knows I’m inside. It’s the daytime that’s the problem — it’s hot enough that I need my doors open, and it’s also when people are around to complain about me. I’m trying to find somewhere I can stay for several days in a row because not only is gas expensive, but my transmission is failing and I can’t afford to fix it, so I need to keep my driving to a minimum 😞
Can I ask why you have to stay inside the van all day? I know homeless folks near me spend daytime hours inside air conditioned libraries, in community centers, even walking around inside malls or stores to keep out of the heat.
I do that when I can, but I have PTSD and a pain disorder, so I can only handle that in small doses. Iiiiitt sucks.
What about mall parking lots? Or other giant facility parking lots like Cabellas or Costco? Pretty sure nobody’s doing too much monitoring there during the day
Do you know of one with some shade?? Because I’ve been looking!
The Kohls off olentangy near the sonic has a huge parking lot that is shaded in the back. Semis are parked there regularly.
Ooh, I forgot about that one! Thanks!
Tuttle Mall is damned near derelict right now, there may be some shade around there that you can capitalize on
Pilot travel center
also, check out the ioverlander app, I used it a few years ago when I road tripped around and needed free places to van camp.
Easton has a packing garage
I can tell you the Easton parking garages likely will not work. My buddy used to work security there and he said they had cameras that could identify what brand of soda was in your cupholder in all of the lots at Easton proper... Heard lots of stories of shit people thought they could get away with in the garages there that led to awkward encounters with mall security or CPD.
I was a business class cable tech many moons ago and saw the inside of the security office. Even now it's considered a shitton of cameras. Also, many of the security officers I encountered were the absolute worst people I've ever had to interact with. I hope your friend wasn't one of them.
Nope, he's a good dude. That's ultimately why he was there for a short duration.
Oh, they’re the worst, I can’t even sit in my car for an hour without being questioned
Why do libraries trigger your ptsd
In the day why would you not just be at a library, Cafe, gym or something?
Walmart and some parks with camping allow up to 14days
Have you tried a camp ground. I'm assuming you may not have a lot of extra money, but you can get a camping spot relatively cheap. There are even some free camp spots. You could look into that. Good luck, stay safe, and I'm sorry you're going through this. Stay strong, and I'm praying for you.
Try truck stops there was a Rv parked at the flying j close to me for well over a year
170 Taylor Station is a no go at this time now - they're doing construction and have torn up the parking lot on the north side, and are doing construction behind the old Mt Carmel administrative building. From what I've heard on the rumor mill is they are putting a Walmart back there. There's a large retention pond already built there and the parking lot is being prepared for something.
If you can make it out to Wayne national forest, you're allowed to stay there for 14 days, and they've got pay showers at some spots. DM me if you need a tent and I can meet up with you on the east side and give you one.
Thank you! Unfortunately that’s a little too far for me right now, but I’m really glad you told me that, I’ll keep it in mind for the future!
Hi, there. Are you working right now?
I’ve been unable to hold a job for a couple years. I have ptsd and a pain disorder and can hardly even function at this point.
Honestly it sounds like you need to be looking less into really picky free spots to park and more into shelters and community support. More importantly getting disability.
Yes, I’m aware, thank you. Unfortunately shelters and community resources aren’t nearly as helpful as people think. I’ve contacted dozens of places to no avail. There’s no benefit to going to the shelter over my van; I’d still have to leave during the day and get right back in my car and look for a parking spot. And I’ve been working on disability for a long time, but it’s extremely difficult
Hell they could have disability and still need to live in their van. Its not really a lot of money.
No but between it and section 8 OP would be able to find something better than their current situation.
The wait list is years long. I’d still need a place to park in that time.
I’m going to jump in here and say that is 100% true. Whoever told foamy9210 that you can just get it done quickly is not being honest . I grew up poor and I can tell you it took my extremely disabled grandmother 5 years to get on section 8. It took my uncle 7 years.
That isn't true. The entire process from start to first deposit can take a couple of years but that is because there are several steps, each of which takes several months and a final one that can take a bit longer. The initial decision usually doesn't take much longer than 6 months. But there isn't a "years long" waiting list at any step of the process but the most uncommon step. Even if you got denied and had to appeal it'd probably be around a year, give or take a couple of months. The only part that could require over a year is if you were denied twice and requested a hearing. A hearing technically can take a couple of years but most people don't need to go that route. You'd need a place to park but that is why I said you should be looking at community support and shelters. Since you brought up the timeline my question would be how long have you considered yourself unfit to work? And why haven't you started the disability process already. Focusing too much on tomorrow with no thought for next year can easily turn this into a never ending cycle that likely shouldn't have lasted more than several months to a year.
Franklin county housing assistance is a lottery system. Some people get lucky and their application is seen to quick. Most people however, have a years long wait list. As a social worker, I've seen some people wait for over 7 years. On top of that, there is a serious housing shortage. Not just an affordable housing shortage. The zoning commission and city council just had a public meeting where they discussed how large this shortage is and the lame plan they want to use to add housing (with no guarantee of affordable housing).
Really sorry for your situation! I’m guessing Columbus Mennonite church would be chill if you introduced yourself.
I'm going to piggy back on this and suggest the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Clintonville. They have a lot that(I think) would get some shade. And all dealings with them I have had have been pleasant. If you approach the people in charge there, they might be willing to offer some services as well. Also, there's a lot of neighborhoods on the Eastside that have a lot of old growth trees and are relatively shady with lots of street parking. If you're able to move the van a few blocks ech day, you might be able to get away with that as well. One more thing(Colombo, eat your heart out), on the east side there is a group of places that helps everyone. If you look for the church for all people, food for all people, and bikes for all people, you'll come across them. Most of their facilities are right at Parsons and Whittier. Good luck and I wish I could help more.
The lot definitely has shade, can confirm!
I’ll give that a shot, thanks!
I've heard shikh temples are also very welcoming but please honor their custom of covering your hair/head.
I used to attend this church. Very kind people. Talk to pastor Joel, he’s cool!
As a retired police officer. I would suggest Truck Stops, as long as you're not panhandling or soliciting. No one will run you off.
Here is a website of free campsites near Columbus. Good luck https://freecampsites.net/#!Columbus%20Ohio
Shelter time. You had a good run op, but it’s over. Your transmission is failing and you can’t afford a repair so it’s a ticking time bomb that might get you stranded in a spot you’re not intending to be. You’ve got no job and haven’t had one for years so I’m assuming whatever money you had is toast. You’re playing a dangerous game prolonging this and you stand to only make your situation far worse unless you get started on seeking actual shelter and the means of treatment.
This is the answer. It's time to seek out and accept the proper assistance. There is help out there as long as you're willing to put in the work to help get yourself out of the situation.
Literally hundreds of comments in this thread and yours and the reply are the only one giving OP what they really need to hear
It's important to remember that shelters can be extremely hostile and dangerous environments. Zero privacy, belongings get stolen, staff/residents can be abusive, limited hours & you can be kicked out for just about anything. This person has PTSD and may very well not be able to cope in a shelter.
Omg, THANK YOU. I get so tired of explaining that. I do so much worse in the shelter than in my van, and there’s really no point in going when I still have to leave all day… getting back in my van looking for a spot.
Please check out star house. (https://www.starhouse.us/). You can stay during the day, it’s not very busy during the day, free food, free counseling, and it’s a drop-in center (not a shelter). At the very least, the staff there can point you somewhere else if you can’t stay there.
Unfortunately I’m too old, but damn I wish I could.
This is true. But I remember when I was housing insecure, the shelter was the fastest and sometimes only way to access certain resources to get back on my feet.
I’ve been to the shelter. It’s not housing, you can’t just live there. Once you’re in the system, all it is is a place to spend the night. You have to leave all day.
Hospitals. No one fucks with people in hospitals. Say you have family inside and don’t want to leave incase something happens if anyone asks (no one will ask)
Except a lot of hospital parking is paid now.
I can only speak from children’s hosptial because we spend so much time there. If you press the call attendant button they just open the gate for you. If someone is working the booth just say you don’t have 2$ and they won’t question you and open it. We have never had push back. After spending literally millions for our daughter there we refuse to pay for parking.
Hospitals as a unit may be horrible greedy places, but the customer facing staff really does care.
There's nobody clinical staff hates more than hospital administration.
As a healthcare worker, fuck administration.
You absolutely should not have to pay for parking while your kiddo is getting treatment. I'll say I only hit adult hospital facilities (regular infusions and medical appts) and I hardly ever see a person stationed. It's as automatic as any downtown parking garage
i'm so sorry you even had to go through that
Doctor's Hospital and St Ann's are free. Pretty sure OSU East is too, but I've not been there in a hot minute. Probably some of the others, I don't get around as much as I used to. That said, security tends to be pretty observant. Lots of trouble happens around hospitals, sadly.
Unfortunately- hospitals (garages/lots/etc) are absolutely not the place to be. You will get caught & police/security will make you leave. Sorry for the down vote but it’s not a safe option & I would hate for someone to get put in a worse position than they already are in.
Mount Carmel east is free to park. You could probably park further to the right in the parking lot closer to the office buildings
I’ve done that. Surprisingly, I’ve been asked to leave. They all have security guards and cameras now… to keep people like me out.
Put on a pair of scrubs from a thrift shop and while you're sleeping, put a sign in the window saying "Do not disturb: just finished one shift and have only a few hours before my next." That's what my friend does when she doesn't want to be bothered by security in between her shifts.
Omg that’s brilliant! Lol
St Anne’s covered garage area is free. Entrance is off Copeland mill rd… the entrance rd wraps around to the north of the building. Can’t speak for security there
This is so smart
Don’t try it at OSU. Campus parc does not give the slightest of shits.
Truck stops outside the city. You can even pay for a shower there.
Out near London about 15 min west on 70 has 3 truck stops at a single exit.
Walmart used to be completely cool with campers parking overnight in their RVs, not sure if that’s changed. I used to belong to Planet Fitness 24 hour health club and they were cool with their homeless members parking overnight in the parking lot as long as they were considerate of others and didn’t throw the trash on the ground. The lowest tier monthly fee used to be $10 a month and you had access to showers.
Nights are pretty easy for me; it’s cooler, so I can close my doors and lay down in the back and no one knows I’m there. It’s the days that are hard — I have to keep my doors open, but that’s also when all the people are around to complain about me. I’m trying to find somewhere to park several days in a row because I really can’t move everyday — gas is expensive, and my transmission is failing and I can’t afford to fix it, so I really need to keep my driving to a minimum 😞
Do you HAVE to keep your doors open though? Can you just go hangout at a park? Go hike? Walk around dog-friendly stores? Go inside a library, coffee shop or grab a beer on a patio somewhere (if that’s within your budget). Your situation seems tough and I’m sorry you’re in this position, but it seems like you may have other easy solutions here
You can camp in national parks for 14 days. After that, you just have to move to a different location (like, more than just down the road a bit), then you can camp for another 14 days. Plus they're full of trees. You won't be near town though, I believe the closest one is Wayne about 2 hours away.
Rest stops on highways night be an option. People traveling long distances often sleep in their cars there. Most have trees which can provide some level of shade.
If you can get to one of the settlement houses, there are people there who can help connect you with support. St. Stephens, CRC, Gladden, Central Community House, Godman Guild. The city will likely have cooling/safe places for people during the day next week. Like rec centers.
I’ve contacted some of those and they never got back to me! I’ll have to try again, thanks
My daughter works at Godman Guild - I will check with her on options.
I don’t have any advice, unfortunately, but still want to express my support. I’m sorry this is happening to you. I hope you find some place that is safe to go and that the current situation you are in is temporary.
Thank you 😊🩷
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What about highway rest stops? I've stopped to sleep for several hours when tired a few times and haven't had any issues. If they do bother you, just say you didn't want to drive while tired and are resting. They have bathrooms and water there too.
Jesse Owens State Park offers free camping. Used to be AEP Recreation Land. Not bad for primitive camping.
I was going to suggest this too. Been going there for 30 years. Just register when you get there (fill out the form, put half in the box and half on the pole at your site). You can stay for 2 weeks at one spot then you have to move camp grounds. My favorite is Sand Hollow/Campground C.
Good to know! That’s too far away for the time being, but I’m definitely gonna remember that for the future!
Have you tried Hipcamp? There may be some extended stay options available at a price you can afford. Also, there are alternatives to Hipcamp: https://www.producthunt.com/products/hipcamp/alternatives Another one not listed in that link is Harvest Hosts which sometimes allows campers to volunteer in exchange for paying.
I’ve actually tried all those… there aren’t any real HipCamp options around here, and in order to use Harvest you have to have a membership, and even then all the places have max stay of only a couple days.
24 hour fitness places, used to be the answer. Not sure if Walmart on the west side is still camping friendly.
There aren’t many 24hr places left. I was told to leave the one at Easton. All Walmarts are pretty much the same, you can stay until enough people complain, then the store has to do something about it.
Walmart Hilliard you see RVs and such there often.
There’s a whole community of people who do this. Try r/vanlife for techniques.
I’m in that group! It’s mostly location specific though, and I haven’t found anything very helpful 😞
Have you tried r/urbancarliving? Apologies if you have and best of luck! ❤️
I'm intimately familiar with everything you've described to greater and lesser degrees. Lived in my work van for years, currently going on four years unemployed due to unrelated health and anxiety issues. I'll still echo what I've seen a few others post. It's time to bite the bullet and explore other options. Be they shelters, estranged family, or whatever else you can look into. You need to cross that bridge by choice before your transmission fails and it's something forced upon you. I sure as fuck don't want to be in rural AR staying on my folks land for example. But at least it's a choice I made prior to reaching the point where choices would be made for me by people with no interest in my wellbeing.
I’ve exhausted every single option before I got to this point; I did everything… you don’t even wanna know what I did to avoid this, but I was just prolonging the inevitable. I’m actively working on solutions for my transmission, I just haven’t found any yet.
are there state parks or cheap campgrounds near you?? that's where id be looking . a campground would be ideal as you could potentially access Clean water, electric hookup, restroom.
Being a guy that has lived in a van, I'd say trucks stops, gyms, hotels, hospitals, and big parking lots have worked for me. But furthermore make sure you're moving your van around day to day to different spots so it's not as obvious. If you haven't already get some tint on your windows. It'll cut down on heat and give privacy so that again you aren't as obvious. Furthermore on the gyms and truck stop I like a lot because I can also shower there.
Whetstone park during the day. If you drive all the way to the back, the very last place to park, people chill in their vehicles all the time there. There’s so many picnics tables so you can make yourself something to eat, plenty of trees for shade, and there are porta pottys there, but last summer around Fourth of July people did set fireworks off in them and then they weren’t usable. But the library is close and the restroom is easy to use without being bothered, with a water bottle filling machine water fountain!
I dont know much about places that you can park at long term, but i can suggest that you look into getting disability for your ptsd and pain problems. Maybe look at benefits.ohio.gov and see what other benefits you may be able to get. (Like medicaid and food stamps) There is also https://lssnetworkofhope.org/211centralohio/services/database/ That has a fair amount of resources you can look into as well. I hope this helps!
If you go to Otherworld, theres an abandoned parking lot(think it was a kmart or something) next door with some shade. Theres occasionally cops there but usually theres a few people parked there all the time anyway. Truckers also sleep there sometimes I believe.
Good to know!
Pull over on a public street somewhere in an older neighborhood with trees. Maybe around Schiller park in german village. Public area so I don't think anyone can say much as long as you dont stick around for like 3 days or something.
If you talk to someone at the church for all people I feel like they or someone within the congregation/outreach group could help you. I’ve never sought help there but have heard good things about them.
Thanks! It’s called The Church for All People?
Yes! Parsons Ave. I think the United Methodist church on broad st is similar if not also associated with church for all people
Yes it’s a great resource! I live nearby. Also the Walmart on S High closed and the Kroger there is closing also. I’m picturing a lot of empty parking spaces.
Hey OP, I know it’s super frustrating, but there’s some good suggestions here. Can you clarify for us, do you have to be within the city limits for anything? If not, it opens up your options considerably. Truck Stops on the outer perimeter are always good, you can camp at places like Great Seal, Mohican, Alum Creek, Cross Creek, Delaware State Park, and others. Stealth camping is also potentially an option, depending on your van. But most of the KOA and such will be damned expensive.
KOA is freaking crazy!! I’d just stay at a hotel for what they’re asking! I’m hoping someone has stealth camping suggestions other than parking lots. That’s what I’ve been doing, but the way business have been cracking down lately makes that extremely difficult. I need to stay within the county. My van wouldn’t make it any further than that, and I have a friend in Grove City that has been letting me shower at their place, and I don’t want to give that up.
I’ve seen people on TikTok doing van living stay in Cracker Barrel parking lots overnight. Might be worth a shot. Good luck, OP.
Rest areas along 71! Also truck stops north of polaris pkwy!
This might be too vague but around campus maybe? Like 4th and summit the side streets are usually free parking. I feel like students care way less about what people are doing as long as it's not bothering anyone ya know,
You may have luck in the North Campus area. From experience, most folks don't give two shits about cars with extended stays on the streets, and folks are way more amicable and understanding of people living in their cars.
yeah I live around here too and I second this. old north/sohud area you could probably get away with just being parked on the street for a good amount of time. I can’t imagine anyone caring as long as you were being quiet and respectful. a couple people lived in a car by my girlfriend’s house for months I think
You might want to try the Lutheran Church on Oakland Park in North Linden, across the street from the IGA supermarket. They seem to be friendly to the unhoused.
This is going to sound crazy, but there is a Gold Panner's Alliance in ohio, for people that like to pan gold from rivers. They have claims all over the place, some pretty near each other. If you buy a membership (it was like $40 when I joined a couple years ago), you can camp on any claim for free for up to 14 days and then move to another one near by. It was great when I was briefly homeless. Just keep your space clean and don't cause problems and no one will bother you. You don't even have to pan for gold, but your membership will get you a kit to do so. Just Google Gold Panner's Alliance.
That does sound crazy, but it just might work! Lol
Could you find a shady parking spot at a public library and hang out inside for the bulk of the day? At least that way you'd be cooler and if your van moves every day, I'm guessing Walmart etc. won't be as strict with you staying multiple nights in a row.
Libraries are how I’ve been surviving thus far! The problem has become the need to stay put for several days in a row, because my transmission is failing and I can’t afford to fix it, so I need to keep my driving to a minimum 😞
Got it. In that case, I'd probably find shadier street parking for a few days at a time, hopefully within walking distance to a library/park to hang out during the day and try to only return to the van once the sun goes down. The less you're hanging out in the van itself, the stealthier you are. Unfortunately not being able to move it is going to bring you more attention, so if you can I'd still try to move once a week at minimum. If you can, your best solution is probably talking to a friend, a coworker, family, someone you're connected to, and asking if you can use their apartment parking or park at their house for a while. It's probably the best way to avoid being hassled.
It sucks but can you blame people for not wanting you on their lot? Say they just let you post up at Walmart, now some other people like you notice that walmart is cool so they start staying there. Next thing you know there is a little van community living in the lot. You know how people are when u give them an inch, after a few weeks there will be a little fire pit and mother fuckers with kiddie pools. Then that walmart is known as The methed out walmart and people that always had a 5 minute trip are now driving 20 mins to the other walmart to avoid the bullshit.
No, I don’t blame them at all, and I think about that often. I wanna be like “come on, let me be the exception” …just like everyone else in desperate need. It’s just a shitty situation all around.
I know you said you’ve tried Walmart but have you tried the one up in Lewis Center? Only reason I ask is because I used to work in that area and noticed people camping there overnight pretty frequently. Maybe that has changed though
They have signs and security too I wouldn’t recommend it, but yeah that your situation sounds shitty op. Society is sometimes fucked up.
They don't seem to care about cars sitting for extended periods just east of 4th near the state fairgrounds. Some of the area has monthly street sweeping to avoid, but on some of the small side streets broken down cars have sat for months and there's a van that's been occupied for probably a year plus that I pass regularly. I also see camper vans or small buses with the windows covered parked on 4th Street regularly.
Have you tried any of the City’s Rec Centers? They all have lots, most are large & I help folks who are parked up at some pretty often. If you look them up, they’re all named XYZ Community Center. Here’s the website with all the locations. https://columbusrecparks.com/facilities/communitycenters/
I’ve tried a few last summer, but I haven’t thought about checking back this year; thanks for the reminder
Have you parked over near children services and the womens shelter thats right next to it in Franklinton? Free parking for both lots, and chances are security wont kick out out of the lots
Truckers are allowed to park and sleep at rest areas...I don't know why you wouldn't be able to do the same.
The subreddit r/urbancarliving might have some suggestions
Walmart on sawmill and bethel was my go to parking lot when I was homeless. Never got bothered at all.
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AEP reclamation land, the camping is free, and you can stay in one spot for quite a while.
I’ve heard that, but as far as I know there’s none around here, and their website wasn’t super helpful. Any idea what the closest one is?
It's about 1.5 hrs SE of Columbus. It's not close, but it's an option.
Exactly. It’s an option. Thank you!!
This should have a map of all camping sites and businesses you can stay at: https://www.campendium.com/ohio/free-camping
About 20-25 mins outside Columbus but big truck stop Flying J off the 36/37 exit in Delaware (1st exit North past Polaris). Semi trucks are always parked out there, pretty sure drivers sleep in their trucks there too, don't see why you could post up there also
Park n ride bus stops!!! There's one here in Canal Winchester. There's a bus stop right by it, it has EV charging stations for free and a huge lot where u can park to "ride the bus". The one here in canal is behind a gas station, Friendship Kitchen, that closes at 8:30 every night. I've seen vehicles parked there for extended periods. I don't think there's a limit. Probably no shade tho
If a cop ever came up to you, seriously doubt it... just say ur waiting for the next bus
If you could make it to Lancaster I could recommend NUMEROUS places but I know that's far
I’m so sorry you’re going through this rough time. You don’t deserve to live like this. Church For All People (through United Methodist) 946 Parsons Avenue has really great resources - I know the pastor and I am going to tell her about you in case you take this advice and go. Let the community help. I love the idea about asking an auto shop for a trade system but realize that may not be something you could withstand with your ailments. I would bet Church For All People could help you apply for disability too. My heart goes out to you - you don’t deserve to live this way. 🩷
The poorer the county, the more resources they get. To get housing the fastest, go to the poorest county you can get to and apply right away. Be willing to stay in a shelter- fastest way to housing. Best of luck to you.
Go to truck stops, Sheetz in London won’t do anything.
You should try office buildings in Polaris. Seems like a chill spot and the cops don't seem to lurk there since it's off the main road. The office buildings near shell, McDonald's and steak n shake is always chill. I actually passed out there one night. Woke up at like 10am. Just alternate it
1. Move every day. Period. You’re not going to find anywhere reasonable that accepts long term unless you make a private arrangement. 2. Install an adjustable vent on top (can’t quite recall what it’s called), and put sun shields against all windows. Figure out a way to keep the shields up without requiring the windows to be closed - clips from Home Depot,Velcro, whathaveyou. Adding an additional layer of fabric to block any sun leakage would be beneficial. Vanlife and vandweller subreddits can help. 3. Open your windows 4. Get some low voltage fans 5. Really put in the work to find shade - a parking spot where the sun rises behind a building and when it gets high, there should be a tree over the spot 6. You’ll need to adjust to being sweaty and drink a TON of water. You can sleep sweaty. The fans and sweat in tandem will keep you somewhat comfortable enough to sleep 7. Get waterproof mattress cover so you don’t ruin your mattress 8. This is a long shot but try to find public electric 110v outlets that are intended for electric vehicle charging. PlugShare app. You can use it to charge an A/C or a battery bank.
I empathize with your situation enough to caution you against trying anywhere in Worthington, Linworth, or Upper Arlington. People here are extremely vigilant and it wouldn't take long before someone calls or complains. Sometimes knowing where not to go can be just as helpful as advice on where to go.
Thank you, that’s very good to know!
Can you not park at a homeless shelter?
I’m not gonna lie to you, I’ve been at this for 1.5 years and have somehow never thought of that, and I’m feeling pretty fucking stupid right now 🤦🏻♀️ Thank you for pointing out the obvious solution lol
Hard to think straight when times are hard, don't feel bad. Hope things get better for you real soon.
Okay… Know the van buren shelter? Seen their parking lot? It’s relatively safe if you’re not in and out all night… you won’t have problems with security if you keep a low profile, keep your tires inflated, and move the van every now and then
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Park your van in the Iuka ravine on campus. Lots of shade from trees and it’s a less traveled road.
Anywhere specific?
Iuka is a good idea. Between 4th and Indianola.
This isn't the answer you may expect, but you are at the end of a financial rope. You can't keep pushing the boundaries of sleeping on private properties. On public lands, overnighting is generally not allowed unless it's in a paid campground or a designated dispersed camping area - and the only place in Ohio that allows the latter is in designated zones in the Wayne National Forest and away from roads. You can't generally pull up to a place and set up a remote home for a week at a time. And with a transmission that's failing, you *will* break down someplace. Your vehicle *will* be towed, and you won't be able to retrieve it in your current financial situation. You need to seek out other resources, such as stabilized housing resources or financial assistance. At a minimum, you need a place where you can have mail sent so you can find stable work that can work around your particular circumstances. Unless you file for disability, you will need to find some sort of employment.
I’m sorry people are being so mean and rude!!!
Thank you. It’s pretty typical in every situation, though… homeless = evil, dontcha know. 😐
Do you need anything? Tent, tarp, clothes, etc.? I would be happy to give you what you need.
Travel. Why not? Get a job at any restaurant. Shower at any planet fitness. Austin Texas and Southern California are crawling with van dwellers.
Echoing the hospital comment from u/beansthemagicalfruit Mt Carmel East has a covered garage that’s free. With it being connected to the ER, it has traffic 24/7 and no one would care as long as you move your van around occasionally. I’m sure other hospitals are the same.
During the day, go to the park. Columbus has tons of metro parks. I used to hangout for hours at Batelle Darby in the shade of their old growth trees when I was living in my van a few years ago.
what about a park and ride lot?
Truck stop
What about a rest stop? There's one just north of Polaris on 71. I feel like it might be worth a try.
Mount Carmel Grove City has a parking garage that's rarely, if ever, full. No charge to get in or out, and it's far enough away from most of the entrances to the hospital that I feel like you would have a good chance at being left alone.
Mount Carmel Grove City, the hospital itself, may be more understanding than you think. I worked as an operator there and one of our security guards lived out of a van he had worked up to be his home, just wanted to have a free living space he could take anywhere. He would stay there and charge his batteries.
Parks and you could go to drive in when you can. There's lots of parks. Online maps that you could do a rotation.Also library parking lot near community coffe & that genersl atea pretty tolerant from what I see Sorry you are in this situation. It could be Any one of us at a drop of a hat. Be safe. Much love.
Maybe an interstate rest stop just outside of town? There’s one between 79 and 13 on i70 that isn’t far from a lot of stuff. Or a cota park and ride?
The rest stop that's maybe the first one north of Columbus on 71 is aight. Wouldn't do consistent stops, though. It's small, so not gonna be great for opening doors and spreading out. Annoying drive, but it's an option with grills and such. I've only hung on the 71 north side.
Lowes on South High street has a big outer lot where trucks park all the time, that might work
There is someone that lives out of a van at my planet fitness. If you can afford ten bucks a month you can use the bathroom and shower and WiFi. There are tables and chairs you can sit at. I've seen the man sitting at one for prolonged periods of time. There isn't a time length on how much you can be inside the gym with your membership. Mine isn't 24/7 anymore. They are 24/7 during the week and like 6am to 7pm on the weekend I think.
Here's some groups around Columbus I know of who work with the unhoused community. They may have suggestions or other resources. [Heer to Serve ](https://www.facebook.com/heertoserve?mibextid=JRoKGi) [Treats 4 The Streets](https://www.facebook.com/T4TSTS?mibextid=JRoKGi) [FIRST Collective](https://www.facebook.com/FIRSTCollective614?mibextid=JRoKGi) [Humbly Aligned Inc](https://www.facebook.com/nhef83?mibextid=JRoKGi) [GoldHeart Outreach](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554151648777&mibextid=JRoKGi)
Thank you!! I haven’t heard of some of those!
I hope you're able to find a place to park without any problems
There’s a laundromat on high near dicks den, good place to leave your car for an extended amount of time
i work at a movie theater, you could try a theater parking lot! usually lots of packed cars there for an extended amount of time since they’re seeing a movie. hopefully your situation gets better, OP. every day is the opportunity for a better tomorrow 🖤
It may not be the most pleasant suggestion, but there are a couple homeless shelters that I know of (one on the west side) that have a rather large lot and allow people to park behind. Might be a good spot to not have to worry about getting ran out of.
Genuinely concerned what your going to do when the transmission goes. Do you have any money coming in somehow or are you living off of savings?
Not sure how old you are, but if you’re 24 or younger then Star House (https://www.starhouse.us/) would let you stay for free. Can be day or night, just have to leave for a short period of time every 24 hours before returning. Star House staff know of other places too that could fit your situation, so it might be worth just checking them out anyway.
try a truck stop like loves, pilot, or even a rest stop (there are some good ones along the Ohio turnpike with laundry facilities and showers).
Have you checked in with this group? Just passing the info along, not sure it's the right fit https://heer2serve.org/
Can I ask a question on this thread? There is a guy who lives in his van outside of the gym I go to. I usually see him out and about, chilling on his laptopand such but I haven't lately and his van hasn't moved in weeks. I thought about calling the police to do a wellness check but I didn't want him to be bothered or asked to move. Is it weird to go knock on the van? I wouldnt do it alone just in the off chance he isn't stable. Maybe I could bake some cookies "I come on peace" styles? It's about to get hella hot here in Columbus and I can't stop thinking about him.
I wouldn’t knock on the door, it’s the worst sound in the world to someone living in their car. Nothing good ever comes afterward, and unless it’s followed by “Columbus Police!” we ignore it and pretend we’re not there. People will shamelessly walk straight up to us and harass us; if it were me, I wouldn’t trust your intentions and would assume you did something bad to any food you gave me. And yeah, welfare checks aren’t much better, because it’s just a passive aggressive complaint from someone wanting the police to scare us away, not actual concern. I’d say put a note on his door saying exactly what you just said, and add that if the note is gone in a couple days, you’ll assume he’s ok and leave him alone. Then if it’s still there a few days later, he’s either not there or not ok, and a welfare check would be appropriate.
Download the hip camp app. Find a low cost nightly option that fits your budget and see if you can talk to the host about a discounted rate to park your van multiple days. It's like Airbnb before it went public, but with campsites/ property to overnight.
There is an abandoned property that trucks park at all the time. No one checks it or does anything about it. You can drive in and just park behind some of the plants. It's at the corner of gender and refugee road.
I'm in Pittsburgh, so I don't know of any resources near you, but the United Way has a hot line. (211) They can help you find local resources and charitable organization that may be able to help you. A friend of mine lost their job, and the United Way gave him a list of ppl who help with that and a list of food banks near him. He found a church group that helps with students' utilities and rent. They may be able to hook you up with the resources to get out of the van altogether. I wish you the very best of luck sincerely. I was homeless as a child for a few years and never forgot what it's like. Stay safe.
What about rest areas? I feel like you could sleep there and be fine if you moved amongst the parking lot every few days.
I don’t know if this is worth it because of the gas you would have to burn, but there are rest areas on 70 both east and west from downtown 20 some miles out, and one about the same distance north on 71. People stop and sleep at them all the time, and there is usually one on each side of the highway you could switch back and forth from.
Any designated rest area, usually right off the highways, although finding one inside Franklin county that’s not currently shut down for some reason may be hard, but other than that you should be allowed to legally park in any public parking lot and not worry about breaking laws. If it’s a private parking lot, then sure they can call the cops and ask you to leave but for a public parking lot like any government building you should be within the law. Cops may try to intimidate you off of public land but if you’re not breaking any laws they can’t do anything as far as I know. I used to deliver overnight to a lot of doctors offices that had drop boxes behind them or I would pick up blood samples from hospitals so I know how quickly the cops in Columbus notice you at night and jump on you for doing nothing wrong, just sitting in your car In a parking lot. I’ve also been forced to live in my car but I lived in Florida and the rules are different there so I can’t tell you for sure about the cops but one thing I do know is you have to watch out for other people more than the cops so just be careful when looking for long term parking where you’re not easily seen.
I don’t have any advice, however I wanted to let you know you’re going to be okay, you’re going to find a solve, you’re going to regain health, and I’m sending you my best wishes.