Why this is relevant to this sub: high density housing is often touted as the solution to housing shortage. But given how difficult it is to change zoning laws, would micro-apartments be the solution that doesn’t require high rises?
Most young people in urban areas really just need a quiet and private place to sleep/eat and don’t need more than 200sqft. Why haven’t we seen more developments like that?
There are a handful of experimental projects in Manhattan like this, but the units always end up been super in demand and expensive lol
No-Section-1092 on
All housing should be legal. Beyond that, land markets will decide where housing goes and what size and style it will be.
Maximilianne on
Tbh make it 500 square feet so you can store you bike indoors and some hobby space and yeah it would be fine
Juggerginge on
For the majority of US housing markets id say no. A place like this would really only work in high density cities.
DataSetMatch on
We can make those even more affordable if the W/D is configured on the same wall as the bath.
Reducing the need to run water plumbing lines to every other wall.
Apprehensive_Swim955 on
I doubt it, didn’t they overbuild microapartments that no one wants in Vancouver?
GaiusGraccusEnjoyer on
If they were legal everywhere, sure
mostanonymousnick on
I don’t think it’d “solve” it, there needs to be more apartments of all sizes, and small ones like that can definitely play a part, but it’s not a solution by itself, especially since tiny apartments being built seems to make even more people angry than usual, because you get the “tiny apartments will attract undesirables” on the right and the “no one should be living in an apartment this small” on the left.
WifeGuy-Menelaus on
Solve, no, help, yeah, a little. It wont suit most peoples needs but it will be good for some people, and they are typically the people who are most housing precarious. Giving them the option will also relieve some demand pressure and cool costs on other forms of housing (such as larger housing thats shared, like a 2 bed rented between 2-4 people, or in extreme cases, illegal rooming houses/basements with dozens of people).
But ultimately, if you want your city to prosper, you need to build a wide diversity of housing in great numbers in order to respond to changing household composition and different types of demand.
Desperate_Path_377 on
1. There is *some* demand for these units and, of course, that should be permitted. All supply is good supply, and residents of units like this might otherwise occupy larger units (potentially with roommates).
2. Notwithstanding point #1, there really isn’t *that* much demand for these units. There’s a glut of <500 sq ft condos on the Toronto market atm. Turns out they are really only popular for university and college students.
So, yes, I think they can play a role. But, politically and economically, I don’t think you can claim to ‘solve the housing crisis’ by asking households to just consume less housing. It’s still a housing crisis if your living area halves instead of your rent doubling.
Loud-Chemistry-5056 on
I live in a 40 sqm flat with my partner. If it were any smaller then I don’t think that we could live together without going crazy.
TDaltonC on
Almost no one living solo in an urban core needs a kitchen. It’s crazy that every studio apartment needs to have a kitchen!
AsexualFrehley on
No
that shit’s for student housing and pied-a-terres
meepercmdr on
In and of itself no, but different housing fits different kinds of people. Single Room Occupancies were even smaller than this and served a population of people who are now often just homeless. I’m sure many young single people would love something like this.
MathematicianSure386 on
I lived in something like this after my divorce. Wasn’t too bad in retrospect. It didn’t impact my dating success (no more than my lack of charm, anyways)
18 Comments
Genuine question. Is there demand for this? I lived in a 500 square foot basement and I quickly outgrew it.
I’d live in a place like this. It’s cozy. 🥰
Welcome to your new home
https://preview.redd.it/zcdtxz3zhjkg1.png?width=730&format=png&auto=webp&s=d51614818b6495875fda4293a2d09a645b73270f
Why this is relevant to this sub: high density housing is often touted as the solution to housing shortage. But given how difficult it is to change zoning laws, would micro-apartments be the solution that doesn’t require high rises?
Most young people in urban areas really just need a quiet and private place to sleep/eat and don’t need more than 200sqft. Why haven’t we seen more developments like that?
There are a handful of experimental projects in Manhattan like this, but the units always end up been super in demand and expensive lol
All housing should be legal. Beyond that, land markets will decide where housing goes and what size and style it will be.
Tbh make it 500 square feet so you can store you bike indoors and some hobby space and yeah it would be fine
For the majority of US housing markets id say no. A place like this would really only work in high density cities.
We can make those even more affordable if the W/D is configured on the same wall as the bath.
Reducing the need to run water plumbing lines to every other wall.
I doubt it, didn’t they overbuild microapartments that no one wants in Vancouver?
If they were legal everywhere, sure
I don’t think it’d “solve” it, there needs to be more apartments of all sizes, and small ones like that can definitely play a part, but it’s not a solution by itself, especially since tiny apartments being built seems to make even more people angry than usual, because you get the “tiny apartments will attract undesirables” on the right and the “no one should be living in an apartment this small” on the left.
Solve, no, help, yeah, a little. It wont suit most peoples needs but it will be good for some people, and they are typically the people who are most housing precarious. Giving them the option will also relieve some demand pressure and cool costs on other forms of housing (such as larger housing thats shared, like a 2 bed rented between 2-4 people, or in extreme cases, illegal rooming houses/basements with dozens of people).
But ultimately, if you want your city to prosper, you need to build a wide diversity of housing in great numbers in order to respond to changing household composition and different types of demand.
1. There is *some* demand for these units and, of course, that should be permitted. All supply is good supply, and residents of units like this might otherwise occupy larger units (potentially with roommates).
2. Notwithstanding point #1, there really isn’t *that* much demand for these units. There’s a glut of <500 sq ft condos on the Toronto market atm. Turns out they are really only popular for university and college students.
So, yes, I think they can play a role. But, politically and economically, I don’t think you can claim to ‘solve the housing crisis’ by asking households to just consume less housing. It’s still a housing crisis if your living area halves instead of your rent doubling.
I live in a 40 sqm flat with my partner. If it were any smaller then I don’t think that we could live together without going crazy.
Almost no one living solo in an urban core needs a kitchen. It’s crazy that every studio apartment needs to have a kitchen!
No
that shit’s for student housing and pied-a-terres
In and of itself no, but different housing fits different kinds of people. Single Room Occupancies were even smaller than this and served a population of people who are now often just homeless. I’m sure many young single people would love something like this.
I lived in something like this after my divorce. Wasn’t too bad in retrospect. It didn’t impact my dating success (no more than my lack of charm, anyways)