Trailer park
A
trailer park is a
neighborhood consisting of an area of land where
trailers rest. When used properly, the term refers only to areas with travel trailers or other recreational vehicles. The term may also be used in a derogatory manner to refer to
mobile home parks or manufactured home communities.
In the United States,
tornadoes and
hurricanes often inflict their worst damage on trailer parks, usually because the structures are not secured to the ground and their construction is significantly less able to withstand high wind forces than regular houses.
In some countries living in a trailer is the cheapest independent living accommodation, only a step above
homelessness. As a result many stereotypes have developed regarding people who live in trailer parks, which are similar to
stereotypes of the poor or people espousing certain political beliefs in general.
On the other hand, it has become more socially acceptable in recent years to live in a trailer park. Substantial improvements in the size and amenities of trailers and other recreational vehicles, together with the development of the internet, have made a semi-nomadic lifestyle more popular among retirees, writers, consultants and others whose income is not dependent on a fixed location. The increased popularity of these vehicles for recreational use has also led to the improvement of many of the parks themselves.
In Europe, particularly in
Germany and
Spain, there are several trailer parks on
squatted land in the midst of urban centres (Berlin, Hamburg, Barcelona). They are commonly known as
wagenburg,
wagendorf or
bauwagenplatz and people living there are often associated with the punk movement and
DIY punk ethic.
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Shanty town*
Nomad
