LOS ANGELES – People can now sleep in vehicles parked on residential streets across Los Angeles without receiving a ticket.

A city ordinance that barred the practice expired at the end of June. For decades it was illegal to live in a vehicle until a 2014 federal court ruling struck down the ban. However, the City Council then drafted a law that made it illegal to live in a vehicle in a residential neighborhood or near parks and schools.

The law was extended by six months in December 2018, but the City Council did not reinstate it. Currently, the city is entangled in a housing and homelessness crisis that go hand-in-hand. A Quinnipiac University poll found that only 53 percent of California voters said they can afford to live here.

It is a tight fit around the passenger chair to get to the back of a van. Everything 19-year-old Zach Moore owns is inside this vehicle, including his high school diploma, something he says he looks at every day.

"I spent 18 years of my life getting this. It shows everyone that I have the capability of working a nine to five job and actually graduating, but I can do more,” said Moore.

Eight months ago, Moore more moved from Delaware to Los Angeles to pursue a career in skateboarding, modeling, and acting. When he found out that he could rent a van for $300 a month from a man named Gary Gallerie, aka the "Venice Van Lord," he jumped at the opportunity.

"I appreciate Gary, because if it wasn't for him, I would never be able to lay my head and have half of these things come my way in life," said Moore.

Not everyone is on board with neighborhood’s overnight guests. Venice resident Mark Ryavec says that these vans are illegally taking over his neighborhood. So, he goes around posting notices on the vans to let them know.

"It's a notice that it's illegal to live in your vehicle overnight at this location," said Ryavec.

Due to the lapse in city ordinance 85.02, police are no longer able to give citations to people camping in their vehicles. Ryavec said this is a cause for concern about what could happen.

"You just need one child molester one sex offender and some little kid gets hurt," said Ryavec.

Ryavec also said that he doesn't appreciate what the "Van Lord" is doing to his community. If he had the chance he would tell him to "get out of this neighborhood and go to where it's legal to set these up."

As for Moore, he said that he is just happy he can stay off the streets.

"It's something that is a roof over my head to put me on the spot and [to have] opportunities around me and surround me to achieve my dreams," said Moore.

Zack Moore is living in a van for $300 a month after moving to Los Angeles from  Delaware to pursue his dreams. (Spectrum News)
Zack Moore is living in a van for $300 a month after moving to Los Angeles from Delaware to pursue his dreams. (Spectrum News)