Friday, warm summer evening. A Reno tech engineer relaxes in his yard after work. Beer in hand. At his feet, a Jack Russell terrier named Toby chews on a red ball.

A retired neighbor joins him in the shade of an elm tree between their homes. She smokes a cigarette and sips a Mountain Dew.

The two have been neighbors and friends for a couple of years.

“She watches Toby while I’m at work,” explains Steve Porter, 53.

“And I call him when I need my propane refilled,” says Connie McGraw, 67.

Propane and friendly neighbors are key components to living year-round in recreational vehicles.

Both McGraw and Porter make homes out of campers less than 30 feet in length. These rigs are not mobile homes or modular dwellings. They’re RVs designed for short-term excursions.

The news that many Nevadans make homes in the cramped quarters of recreational vehicles could be grist for another damn-the-economy story. Though it’s not the case with McGraw and Porter, some folks are losing homes and trying to survive in small RVs until they can get into apartments or houses.

This is not that tragic tale. Many people living in Reno’s RV parks are far from miserable at the turns their lives have taken. They say RVs are a satisfying and inexpensive housing alternative. Their lives are simpler. Needs fewer. Communities stronger.

“This is a good way to live,” Porter says.
Full Story…
———-

2 Responses to “RVs are a simple, cheap housing option”