The tent cities, the garbage-strewn sidewalks, the plein air bicycle chop shops — they’re all signs of a great social apocalypse.Because of that, I simply cannot hold it against people who live in cars or vans.For a homeless man named Gary Gallerie, they presented a business opportunity.
“I made out like a champ,” Gallerie, 70, told me late Friday afternoon as we sat on a bench on the Venice boardwalk. “I got the rent for 17 months, and I got the van. I said, ‘Wow, what a good way to get people off the street, I’ll just rent ’em vans.’”He took out an $8,500 credit card loan, and started buying old vans, mostly from private parties.
He was remarkably open with me about his business. He’s been living happily in vehicles for 15 years, although it’s been hell on his love life.He keeps a low profile, sweeps the streets, and tries not to annoy the residents. “One guy was hanging his clothes to dry in the trees next to the van. After two warnings, I said, ‘You do it again, you’re out.’”
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