We certainly can understand online creator Ryan Perez (@ryanperez_92) not believing his eyes and what he’s seeing in his latest TikTok video.
In the clip, viewed more than 2.2 million times, he zooms his smartphone camera in on a homeless camping man who is sleeping inside the empty space in between signs in a roadside kiosk for a commercial center in Apple Valley, California.
“Check this out,” he says as he exits his car to get close the giant sign. “[Expletives]’s sleeping in there.”
Awakened by Perez’s approach, the resourceful homeless camping man makes eye contact as the clip ends. He doesn't look happy to be caught on camera.
This is a sleeping situation that can’t have been comfortable in any way. Overnight temperatures in Apple Valley, which is located about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles, are dipping into the 30s right now, and it doesn’t look like the man had any kind of bedding other than a blanket on hand. Not that he could have fit much in that tiny space.
The California homeless camping man may have heard about and taken notes on the Midland, Michigan, woman who earlier this year was found to have been living inside the sign on top of a grocery store. In that case, the space had been occupied for about a year and was outfitted with a coffee maker, computer, bedding and phone.
These scenarios are reminiscent of Japanese capsule hotels, which emphasize space efficiency. Capsule hotels, or "kapuseru hoteru," offer minimalist sleeping pods designed for functionality and affordability, typically measuring about 2 meters in length and 1 meter in width.
Similarly, in San Francisco, companies have introduced sleeping pods as a housing solution for tech workers seeking affordable accommodation. These pods, often measuring around 4 feet in height, provide just enough space for a bed and personal belongings, emphasizing the growing trend of micro-living spaces in urban environments.
While Ryan was laughing in disbelief at the homeless camping situation he’d stumbled onto, we’ve written plenty about the serious challenges and hardships of those who are experiencing homelessness. Or perhaps Ryan made a call to the local homeless services office to try to find some help for the unintended star of his video.
Commenters on the clip expressed a mix of admiration and humor at the unconventional sleeping arrangements.
“When I am broke I wouldn’t tell anyone, but there would be signs,” one user joked.
Another chimed in with an observation on California real estate prices. “$1,200 a month in Los Angeles,” they joked.
And another offered kudos. They wrote, “That's actually smart. it's definitely warm in there. Blocked away from the weather, and if he's close enough to a business, free Wi-Fi. That's like 60% of our daily needs covered lol.”
@ryanperez_92 #highdesert #livingmybestlife #warm #winter #homeless #donthatetheplayerhatethegame #sleep ♬ original sound - 1
The Daily Dot reached out to Ryan via direct message.
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