Venice 'vanlord' rents minivan with mattress inside for $450 per month

(FOX 11) - You've seen apartments for rent, right? Now, there are minivans with mattresses for rent.

A man who goes by the name Venice Vanlord advertises on Craig's List a a minivan with a mattress inside for $450 a month.

Rebecca Dannenbaum knows the "vanlord." She lives in a van in Venice. It's hers and she tells FOX 11 she feels safer when she's in it.

Everything she owns is in and around it. And, it's parked not far from the beach where she showers.

Says Dannenbaum, "I have everything I need. I shower, I sleep, I eat. I get up on a scheduled time. I do everything anyone else would. It's just a smaller space."

In Venice, there are a lot of vans-turned-into-sleeping-pods. But, with so many there are those in this community who don't like them. A woman, who doesn't want to be identified tells us, "We understand this is the beach. And, we've got limited space and they take up a majority of the spaces and there's been zero enforcement."

At Hollywood Smoke, a local cigar shop in Venice, customers say they don't like it. Devin McGuire says, "It's a serious problem and I haven't heard a solution that's been offered."

The City of Los Angeles, has a map that shows where people can sleep in vehicles, but only during certain times of the day.

But, with regard to the Craig's List ad that offers a van with a mattress for rent - that's not clear.

Meanwhile, Venice Vanlord would not speak with us on camera. He did offer to do that when we first contacted him, but then cancelled saying his "daughters didn't want him to do it." He wouldn't elaborate.

To that, Dannenbaum told us, "I think its somebody trying to do something to solve a problem. I think with what he's doing is not bringing any harm."

There are people who say they would rent a van to sleep in like Tori Lynne. She's been homeless since she was 14. She's now 32.

Says Lynne, "it's better living there. You don't have to worry about the weather. Getting raped. Crazy people coming up to you. You're indoors."