Entrepreneur Pitches Live-In Vans to Techies

'Eat Google food, use their gym, and sleep in the van'
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 28, 2016 2:48 PM CDT
Entrepreneur Pitches Live-In Vans to Techies
The kitchen of your brand new one-bedroom San Francisco apartment.   (Go-Tel.net)

"Rent is too high even if you could find a place. So be adventurous and think about it." So writes Robert Allen in an ad posted to Craigslist last week. The San Francisco Chronicle reports Allen is hoping young tech workers fed up with ballooning rents in the Bay Area will instead consider living out of his fleet of five customized vans. The 68-year-old retiree has been making rental vans since 2012, mostly focusing on customers taking road trips, according to his website. Now he's focusing on a new market.

"Eat Google food, use their gym, and sleep in the van," reads Allen's Craigslist ad. His idea is that tech workers can park in the company lot and sleep in the van while using their company's showers, cafeteria, and other amenities. While it's unclear if Google is cool with that idea, Allen says he's heard workers are already sleeping in their cars there. And his vans are likely a whole lot more comfortable. The customized vehicles feature a two-person bed; kitchenette with a stove, cooler, and table; folding chairs; slide-out storage; and more. They cost between $30 and $45 per day (more if you want to drive them yourself), and Allen will even deliver them to the parking spot of your choosing. And if tech workers decide the van life is for them, they can purchase their own from Allen for $25,000. Not bad for a one-bedroom in San Francisco. (More housing stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X