Drive around Vancouver and you will see vehicle dwellers everywhere. Parked along roads, at beaches, at stores and coffee shops. Some are stealth camping, some not so stealth. Residents and business don’t seem to like it much, but there are the vans, everywhere.
Van people, they say, are taking advantage. They are cluttering up the city, blocking views and taking parking spaces without contributing.
Sure enough they do block views and take parking spaces. No argument here, vehicles do those things.
House dwellers vehicles do the same thing. In fact, so do their houses. And the houses don’t ever move out of the way. Our vehicles regularly move along and let someone else enjoy that particluar patch of real estate. So. Think about that next time you scowl at a van blocking your view. A house is blocking the van’s view.
Now let’s examine the contribution thing.
Vehicle dwellers pay for their vehicles. They keep them licenced and insured. They buy gas and pay all fuel taxes. So, vehicle dwellers contribute to the cost of roads in all the same way as the house dwellers.
Well, what about other city infrastructure? All the things that property taxes pay for, and since vehicle dwellers don’t pay, maybe shouldn’t be permitted to use?
Power? Power lines? Vehicle dwellers either have power (solar or generated) or pay and connect at charging stations. So, the power lines connecting houses don’t benefit the vehicle dwellers, just the people paying property tax. No unearned benefit there.
Sewer lines, water, garbage, recycling? Vehicle dwellers patronize businesses and community centres for showers, garbage and recycling. They pay the fees, or buy goods and services, to permit access. Again, no unearned benefit.
Vehicle dwellers pay income tax, sales tax and vehicle taxes.
We, vehicle dwellers, have earned the right to government and city services, just as any other citizen. Maybe even more so, since we share access in ways house dwellers cannot.
When Everywhere Is Home 