Title
Using vehicles to challenge antisleeping ordinances
Publication Date
2008
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Homeless people who sleep on city streets are subject to regulation practices that target their appearance, status, and behavior. Vehicle living affords a private sleeping area, yet occupants are still frequently cited for sleeping in public. The right to sleep has recently become controversial, as cities that do not provide adequate shelter cannot legally outlaw public sleeping. This article uses interviews, surveys, and municipal court trial data to present an ethnographic case study of the vehicle community in Santa Barbara, CA. Like many California coastal cities, the visible presence of homeless people is troubling to citizens, city officials, and tourists who seek unfettered access to beaches and shopping areas. Homeless people who sleep in these areas see their vehicles as essential for personal survival, as a way of escaping negative public attention, and as a way of arguing for social legitimacy.
Original Citation
Wakin, Michele. (2008). Using vehicles to challenge antisleeping ordinances. City and Community,7(4), 309-329. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6040.2008.00269.x
Virtual Commons Citation
Wakin, Michele (2008). Using vehicles to challenge antisleeping ordinances. In Sociology Faculty Publications. Paper 9.
Available at: https://vc.bridgew.edu/sociology_fac/9