Plug-In Communities Can Offer Solutions to
Problems of Modern Living
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The Shady Dell
RV Park near Bisbee Arizona, a good example of trailer
community with a comfortable and stable "sense of
place".
CLUI photo
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Trailer or Recreational Vehicle parks can offer
solutions to many of the problems associated with modern suburban
living and development. It is an option proving successful to
hundreds of thousands of Americans, and one of the fastest-growing
alternative living arrangements today.
Though temporary in structure, RV and trailer
parks can be stable communities. This is because they are often
composed of people who choose to be together, instead of the
generally random population that forms in fixed suburban environments.
The portability of the living units means the individuals are
free to find the community that is right for them.
Another factor contributing to the stability of RV communities
is the lack of investment in the fixed place. Knowing that one
can unhook and leave if the need arises seems to relieve much
of the pressure that is at the root of suburban dissatisfaction.
The isolation within and defensive fortification of the suburban
home does not occur in RV parks. In fact, occupants live in
very close quarters to one another, often with less than twenty
feet separating the units. With this level of proximity, everyone
knows their neighbors, and there is a tendency to watch out
for one another's well being.
Trailer parks come in many forms though, and a
distinction between them needs to be made. Some trailer parks
are composed of trailers that are frozen in place, that haven't
moved for decades, and many parks are composed of large, manufactured
housing units that were not designed to be moved more than once.
Though the option of easily hauling the unit away doesn't exist
in these types of parks, they share many of the characteristics
of the mobile parks: the relatively small investment minimizes
commitment to the place, and a close-knit configuration promotes
awareness of others and a sense of community.
RV parks are dense villages where community participation
and social interaction can be at a high level, and a satisfactory
sense of place and belonging is often attained. Add the generally
low impact of these small and self-contained housing units on
the landscape, and RV living can be a ecologically, economically
and socially sensible alternative.
