Graham Pruss

The National Vehicle Residency Collective (“NVRC”) is a network of vehicle residents, social service providers, and legal experts joining together to support people living in their vehicles. Our goal is to honor and value the voices of vehicle residents, support their policy and service goals, and protect their legal rights. We believe that a key component of this work is to raise positive public awareness about people living in vehicles and vehicle residency. We center the needs of people living in vehicles. Our work is informed by the issues our members identify. NVRC brings a diverse set of voices to the table and grounds its goals in the lived experience of vehicle residents. Our work is informed by the lived and professional expertise of our members. We share practical knowledge and best practices. We are always learning from each other. Our meetings include information about how to live and thrive in your vehicle, about how to use and operate parking programs, and the legal rights of vehicle residents. We work to decriminalize vehicle residency and stop closure of public spaces. Governments throughout the country limit parking available to vehicle residents through closure of public spaces, either physically or by law. Exclusion of vehicle residents from public space are often enforced through citations, fees, vehicle impoundments, or even arrests. We are building a movement to protect the civil and human rights of vehicle residents and end these harmful and unproductive practices. We educate the public on issues of vehicle residency. Many people have misconceptions about vehicle residency and people who live in their vehicles. We are working to raise awareness and undo those misconceptions through events, social media campaigns, and other avenues.