Guy Lives in a Van at Google.

I'm not sure if this has been posted and I couldn't think of anything witty to put as a topic name:

http://www.businessinsider.com/google-employee-lives-in-truck-in-parking-lot-2015-10

Pretty interesting read

I'm jealous. I wish I had a head on my shoulders like that 10 years ago. I'd have buckets of recurring income to blow on cars now :)

In reply to 92dxman:

Saw a bit ago. It's not a bad idea considering what the rental rates are in the Mountain View / San Francisco area. You need to be an executive to buy a house there anymore. Or you could just live outside of the city where it's affordable and commute.... but that wouldn't be hyperconnected hipster techbro yo.

Still not a bad idea. Buy the truck for 10k use Googles facilities until you've padded your resume enough to go somewhere practical.

I've been contemplating a travel trailer and a chunk of dirt once the kids move out.

"Your hired! Your start date will be June the 21st!"

"Awesome, thank you so much. The compensation package looks great and I'm excited to be a part of the team!"

"Great, so any other questions for us?"

"Uh yea, just one. Can I live in a van in the parking lot?"

But is it down by the river?

This is not new. I worked at company on the other side of the freeway from Google 15 years ago. We didn't have the facilities and amenities of Google. We did however have couple of employees whose official residence was Sacramento but lived in motor-homes parked on the street nearby.

One was always bitching because the company would not let set up camp in the company parking lot. The facilities dept. said if the city of Palo Alto ever saw motor-homes with people living in them on company property, they would fine the company for operating an unlicensed trailer park.

Will wrote: But is it down by the river?

Its out by the bay actually. There is a creek nearby

Somehow I cant imagine any job I have ever had allowing me to live in the parking lot. The last one wouldn't even let you leave a car in the lot over the weekend without prior approval.

I did this when I was young.

I spent 5 months working at the NJ Shakespeare Festival doing scenic construction, and lived in a non-running '66 VW van in the parking lot.

I wasn't smart enough to bank the coin (although I didn't make diddledy squat building scenery). There were some very cute actress interns though.

The carpenter that rents the unit 2 doors down from my office, lives in a class C in the parking lot. About once a week, he drives it down to the local RV shop to dump the tanks.

Props to him for making it work. But for ten grand, I can't help thinking he would have been better off with a small travel trailer hitched to an old pick-up.

My friend who works at Google was mentioning this the other day. Apparently it's not unheard of, but I'm not sure it's part of the accepted ethos of the place. He didn't say it, but I don't get the impression it's seen as being "Googley", which is important. (Go ahead and Google "Googley Google")

While I admire this guy's parsimoniousness, I will venture that he's not going to score with the line "want to come back to my truck in the Google parking lot?"

I don't know- that last line is probably more of a p-magnet than saying your play in the NFL. "So you are a google employee?" berkeley yeah I am. I google the berkeley out of E36 M3. Have you been googled lately?

I'm sure he's a big hit around Halloween.

Teh E36 M3 wrote: I don't know- that last line is probably more of a p-magnet than saying your play in the NFL. "So you are a google employee?" berkeley yeah I am. I google the berkeley out of E36 M3. Have you been googled lately?

The Google ID badge doesn't have the Bob Costas-attracting powers it once (if ever) did - they're just another employer now. You make good money at a place like Google/Apple, but you're not going to get Jony Ive rich there. With the male/female ratio what it is in the area, you gotta be that rich to (ahem) rise above the rest...

Seems like he could put a little more effort into making the place more livable.

At least a coat of paint and some carpet perhaps?

nderwater wrote: Props to him for making it work. But for ten grand, I can't help thinking he would have been better off with a small travel trailer hitched to an old pick-up.

As mentioned above, a travel trailer wouldn't be quite as "incognito" as a basic box van. Of course, with all of the attention this article has received (it was first posted about a week ago), I can't help but wonder if he is still living in the van today or if he's been told these days are numbered.

I also wonder if companies like these in such high-rent areas have considered building employee-dedicated apartment buildings on-site.

Ian F wrote: I also wonder if companies like these in such high-rent areas have considered building employee-dedicated apartment buildings on-site.

Company towns used to be common.

logdog wrote:

Ian F wrote: I also wonder if companies like these in such high-rent areas have considered building employee-dedicated apartment buildings on-site.

Company towns used to be common.

For a modern example see Longhua Science & Technology Park, AKA "Foxconn City" (complete with suicide nets).

Some Silly Valley megacorps are considering employee housing, I remember Facebook specifically showing interest in it.

This guy's very clever. It'll be a sucky few years living in a van, but he'll be insanely rich afterwards.

China, Japan & probably others still have employer owned housing.

I see it coming back here as the ability to own a home becomes further out of reach.

Actually I see very few single family dwellings going up but lots of apartments, especially along the light rail corridor.

2002maniac wrote: Seems like he could put a little more effort into making the place more livable. At least a coat of paint and some carpet perhaps?

The right rug could really tie the room together.

logdog wrote:

Ian F wrote: I also wonder if companies like these in such high-rent areas have considered building employee-dedicated apartment buildings on-site.

Company towns used to be common.

The beauty of 'company towns' is that the company would usually just run the financing of the house for you (either directly or through a 'friendly' bank). Yes of course the company will approve you for a house loan that no one else will approve you for, for a house that no one else wants because it is a pretty great insurance policy that you will continue to work for the company for the next 30 or so years.

First job out of collage was living and working on the South coast of England where prices were higher. A guy in my department was around 30 then (1990) and he had just joined the company from Land Rover. He still owned a house up in Coventry and was commuting down for work until it sold. There was no way he was going to pay rent on anything until his house up there was sold and he could buy one down where we worked. He would drive down from Coventry Monday morning nice and fresh. Monday night through Friday morning he would pitch his one man pup tent behind a hedge in a farmers field and sleep there. Monday as he'd been home for the weekend he was fresh. Tuesday he had some BO, Wed's it was really noticeable. Thursday and Friday no one would go near him as he just stank. Thankfully Friday he would drive back to his house and be nicely showered and fresh for Monday. Luckily we worked in a test lab so things were nice and open so it was easier to stay clear come the end of the week.