by Bodhi Haugen
During the height of midterms, an eviction notice was sent to multiple people sleeping in their vehicles on campus due to what administrators called, “unsanitary and unsafe conditions.” On Oct. 31, 2023, a decision enforced by university officials altered the lives of students overnight parking and disrupted a small community.

Previously, students living out of their vehicles were allowed to sleep overnight in various campus parking lots. Some current and new van lifers still attend Cal Poly Humboldt, though their routines have since changed.

“It used to be kind of like, it didn’t really feel like I’m a nomad, because I just had a home base. It’s like my house was on campus,” said Derek Beatty, a mechanical engineering senior. “Now, I don’t really feel like I have that anymore.”

Despite the restrictions, incoming Humboldt students remain curious about trying a home on wheels. The lifestyle still has its upsides: financial freedom from rent and utilities, mobility and continuous access to personal belongings on-the-go.

Ryan Crabtree, a wildlife major and junior transfer student moved to Humboldt having had issues getting accepted into a room for rent. 

“I was too concerned about not having housing at all,” Crabtree said. “So, I bought a cab-over camper, put it on my truck that I already had, and said, ‘I’m going to figure this out in this direction.’” 

Beatty has been taking advantage of some of van life’s luxuries around Humboldt County. Having a consistent sense of home wherever you go has its own set of advantages regarding schedules and comfort. 

“I can go to cool places and still be just as comfortable as I am all the time,” Beatty said. “If I go to someone’s house and they’re not ready or something, I don’t really mind waiting because I’m still home, which is nice. And saving money on rent is, you know, huge.”

The university currently has no plans to lift the overnight parking ban on campus. However, van lifers are advocating for a policy shift that includes designated parking spaces, a communal kitchen and on-site restroom access.

“It would be so huge, if they just had a designated parking area with five to 10 spots, you know, that’s not hard for them to do,” Betty said. “It would be huge for all the people dealing with this. It’s not that many people.”

Current van lifers hope to rebuild a tight-knit on-campus community like the one that existed before the eviction. The van life culture at Humboldt continues on, with students supporting one another and finding joy in the freedom the lifestyle offers.