Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 31

Thread: Tiny housing receives potential boom.

  1. #21
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Always logged in
    Posts
    25,383
    Catherine’s example: $70,000. Yeah, let us buy one for every homeless person. My Hermann house which is perfectly livable cost us $79,000.
    But then, add to that $70,000 another $30,000 in gubmnt graft, corruption, and red tape.

    Decades ago when we were renovating our 1900 square-foot house, the public housing units down the street we’re being renovated as well. We had $100,000 into our house. Their renovation costs were $120,000 for units that averaged 600 sq ft.*

    * These costs are approximate because I no longer remember the specifics, but the main point, that the government cannot do anything inexpensively and we are all paying for that, is correct.

  2. #22
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Nevada
    Posts
    12,889
    Catherine, RV’s are not insulated well enough for winter. If your son is only looking at summer months it would be fine. That’s one reason people that live in them f.t. follow the warm weather. IL, I would rather the government spend money on housing than wars and tax breaks for the wealthy.

  3. #23
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    14,637
    Quote Originally Posted by Teacher Terry View Post
    Catherine, RV’s are not insulated well enough for winter. If your son is only looking at summer months it would be fine. That’s one reason people that live in them f.t. follow the warm weather. IL, I would rather the government spend money on housing than wars and tax breaks for the wealthy.
    Thanks for the thought, TT. I hadn't considered that. But to be honest, I think he would use it up to 3 seasons of the year (April-November) up here, and just live in his own apartment in Burlington when we aren't here.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

  4. #24
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Nevada
    Posts
    12,889
    Depending on how tough he is 3 seasons may work. The other thing we are finding out with our 25 yo motor home with 50k miles is that everything is breaking. The parts are all plastic and breaking. Right now we have no water on this trip because all the sinks and shower leaks. Every trip it’s something. We paid a fortune to have the refrigerator fixed for a trip and the next summer it was broke again. We now use coolers. Some years it’s just a rolling tent. Trying to talk DH into selling it next spring and just using motels to travel.

  5. #25
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Vermont
    Posts
    14,637
    Quote Originally Posted by iris lilies View Post
    Catherine’s example: $70,000. Yeah, let us buy one for every homeless person. My Hermann house which is perfectly livable cost us $79,000.
    But then, add to that $70,000 another $30,000 in gubmnt graft, corruption, and red tape.

    Decades ago when we were renovating our 1900 square-foot house, the public housing units down the street we’re being renovated as well. We had $100,000 into our house. Their renovation costs were $120,000 for units that averaged 600 sq ft.*

    * These costs are approximate because I no longer remember the specifics, but the main point, that the government cannot do anything inexpensively and we are all paying for that, is correct.
    I can't believe you paid $79,000 for that beautiful house/land in a cute town.

    IL, you suggested once that I might be more conservative than I might claim to be (I can't remember the exact wording).. and the only thing that makes me feel fiscally conservative at times is the reality that EVERYONE--not just the government--finds it easier to spend other people's money than their own. It's just a fact. So that's why you were able to negotiate renovations for $100k and the government spent 20% more. That's why healthcare costs are SO astronomical--there are too many middlemen and too few people taking the money out of their own pockets. And that goes for both individuals and private enterprise and public institutions.

    Yet, I agree with TT--when there is money being thrown around willy-nilly, would I rather have it blow into the coffers of the powerful, or would I rather that some actually does "trickle down" to benefit the least among us. I'm not saying give every homeless person the equivalent of a house in Hermann--but there has to be a better way. DH maintains that if you want someone to actually manage money to the best benefit of the people that need it, are you going to ask the government? Hell no!! But the problem is, the richer you get the less likely you are to have empathy for our neighbors on the lower rungs of society and less likely to level the playing field a little. As you probably well know given that you live up against some rough neighborhoods in St. Louis, poverty affects us all. But not everyone is like you. The rich can escape to rich enclaves and gated communities and pretend that the "untouchables" in this country don't exist.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
    www.silententry.wordpress.com

  6. #26
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Nevada
    Posts
    12,889
    Here some people want the homeless shelter to be out of town. That way the tourists don’t have to see them. Yet how could they access services with no transportation? They don’t really care about helping and just want them out of view. This is the stuff that makes my head hurt.

  7. #27
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Always logged in
    Posts
    25,383
    Quote Originally Posted by Teacher Terry View Post
    Here some people want the homeless shelter to be out of town. That way the tourists don’t have to see them. Yet how could they access services with no transportation? They don’t really care about helping and just want them out of view. This is the stuff that makes my head hurt.
    Yes, dont pander to the tourists. Those who are concerned sbout tourism own the businesses that cater to the tourists and they pay for the “services.” But pay no attention to them. Also, br sure to itnore the NIMBY types, just selfish they are.

    My friend and I were just talking about San Francisco pre-homeless invasion,and comparing it to post homeless invasion. She got to see that beautiful city before the street people took over. I didnt, and wish I could have.

    I have said it before and I’ll say it again: I used to vote Democratic before I move to this city. Then I saw how government especially the feds and their social services Policies especially public housing screwed over those of us who put blood sweat and tears into our community. It was a revelation. Will NEVER forget attending a public hearing about the build out of more public housing down the street and finding a map of public housing possibilities throughout my neighborhood including housing on my very own flower garden. On land I own. On top of my lilies.
    Haha, as if. That will not ever happen while I have a breath left in my body.

  8. #28
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    4,769
    We had an area of this city where houses were tore down, as they were effectively abandoned by all but drug dealers/users, etc. They were in complete disarray to the point of falling down and the city I believe used imminent domain and drug laws to knock them down (under a federal grant). It made news at the time.
    Then someone (believe one who owned one), turned them in as they used that old asbestos siding on most of them. They hadn't been "abated" and fines were done, the ground was "considered contaminated" etc. (even after hauling off layers of it)
    This area was one where a group was trying to construct a series of tiny houses for homeless vets. It was a get them help and a place to start to get back on their feet sort of thing. The lack of standards for tiny houses was one issue (not the only one).
    I personally see the tiny house on a trailer as a different thing then on property. I know some places have size restrictions (too small or too large), and see the tiny house movement as a potential way around some issues.
    We have lots that are no longer allowed to be built on (1920's bungalow homes originally). 40' wide lots and a PITA to get the lots combined. Some that have houses around here (one I have watched), is around 500 square feet and priced twice what larger ones are.
    I also see this as something I would be interested in, if I bought land. Start with a tiny house, and a big shop/building, and maybe eventually build something larger, after the land is payed for.
    Rather that then a trailer on the property, that I see so many do, in the country.

  9. #29
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Posts
    101
    This has been an interesting discussion about tiny houses. I have seen a lot of programs on cable t.v. about them. Basically, there would not be a lot of open space to site them in my community although people have built on to existing houses which are often 90 years older or more! I think it's worth looking at "Project Home" in Philadelphia, which provides more than just a place to live but help with mental and physical health and finding jobs for people who are struggling to get by.
    Project Home has bought whole apartment buildings to house people with enough space to provide services in house. We would have lots more people living on the streets in Philadelphia if it did not exist along with other organizations dedicated to helping the homeless and low income. Bicyclist

  10. #30
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Nevada
    Posts
    12,889
    A proposal to allow people to put a tiny home in their backyard failed. People were concerned that the parking is tight already in the older neighborhoods and the noise issues.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •