Her first thought was, she said, “Oh, God. What have I done? The last thing I need right now is to be responsible for this quite literal ruin.” She shot her last album cover there and performed during the biennale in her new “living room,” which she had embellished with garlands of flowers and fairy lights.

Stephanie Giuffre, a disabled veteran and artist who had been living in Slab City, bought two lots in Bombay Beach for $10,000; the only structures were a garage and a shed. She has planted the yard with fruit trees, grapes, passion fruit and edible cactuses, along with a vintage Cadillac hearse, a vintage Cadillac limousine and a vintage Corvette trailer.

She had become frustrated by the looky-loos at Slab City, she said. “It seemed like everyone was filming and had a hidden mic. It was becoming a side show,” she said.

Life at Bombay Beach is not as harsh as at the Slabs, as the place is known — there is water and electricity, after all — but it feels like the Slabs used to, she said, in terms of community. “There is that give and take of people keeping to themselves, and also being there for you,” she said. “And wow, there’s a lot of art!”

Across the street, Rhonda and Mark Hagedorn were sitting on their porch after a day’s yard work. Their spacious lot is ringed by lush salt cedars. Full-time residents since 2016, they had been coming as weekenders for 15 years from San Diego County.

“We’re desert rats,” said Mr. Hagedorn, explaining how they have four-wheel adventures at the Glamis Dunes, about an hour to the southeast.