Motor Home For Rent As Alternative In High-Rent Echo Park

ECHO PARK (CBSLA.com) – In Southern California, where rent has been skyrocketing, an Echo Park man has found a creative way to offer affordable housing.

Virgo Degan is offering his 110-square-foot Winnebago motor home for $850 a month, complete with free wifi.

According to Zumper.com, a one-bedroom apartment in Echo Park averages more than $1,600 a month.

Degan posted an ad on Craigslist two weeks ago. He said he bought the RV nearly four years ago after overcoming a medical problem.

He didn't want to rely on disability coverage, and the Winnebago allowed him to work from home.

"I decided to do what I've wanted to do, which is to get out from underneath the huge monthly cost-of-living bill," Degan said.

And he did. The RV is not only cheap to maintain; it's eco-friendly.

"I'm using less electricity. I'm using less water," he said. "You know I've got solar panels on the roof."

The RV is parked in the back yard of a triplex. The renter will have access to the building's laundry room.

A local dealer told CBS2/KCAL9'S Jeff Nguyen a $100,000 RV with a 10 percent down payment would run you about $600 a month over 15 years.

According to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, you must have a use of land permit and certificate of occupancy to live in an RV.

Degan said he has checked with a city official and believes what he's doing is legal. "As long as I don't, you know, take this out on the road without it being registered or insured, it can be back here, and as long as you're doing appropriate sanitation," he said.