Parking space houses

[CathyA]

Did anyone see the segment on these on the news recently? It was interesting. I suppose it's good use of spaces no longer needed by cars in big cities. Not sure how they deal with water and sewage.
It's not for me though.........I'm a wide-open-spaces kind of gal. But it's an interesting concept.

[Miss Cellane]

Interesting idea, and might be useful for emergency housing after a natural disaster.

But I'm stuck on the parking spaces. Every big city I know doesn't have enough spaces for the cars that there there now, let alone give up some for a house.

[jp1]

I didnt see the segment but i'd assume we're not talking parking lots in vibrant urban cores but rather dead shopping mall parking lots and the like.

[Lainey]

I missed this too, CathyA - can you explain the concept?

[Tussiemussies]

DIDN't see it, but it may make good housing for the homeless....

[meri]

I believe you are talking about this project? http://www.treehugger.com/tiny-houses/tiny-house-parking-garage-future-urban-housing.html

I think it's an interesting idea and it would make e.g. a cool hotel or student or seasonal worker accommodation if they sort out electricity, water etc. for a larger complex of those "houses" (I really like how they used the given space even though I am not particularly fond of the decorations etc that they ve used ... it seems overdecorated and impractical).
However I don't believe it would work well as a community or 'colony ' of homeless people and addicts unless it is more of a shelter where the inhabitants need to follow strict rules or one of the 'new start' housing arrangements for people overcoming difficult situation in their lives.
I also don't think it would work as a permanent housing solution because of lack of natural light and space around should it be in one-cubicle-on-another arrangement.

[ToomuchStuff]

Didn't see it, any link to the story?

Wondering how the property owners make money on it and other issues (not paid, then isn't it trespassing)?

[Lainey]

meri,
thanks for posting the article.

I've thought about a similar idea for hotels with a lot of acreage, or even restaurants with basement space. Couldn't they find a small space for workers or even one worker to call home?

I'm reminded of a long ago friend who immigrated to this country from China. Her goal was to finish her undergrad and graduate degrees, then get a good job and bring her parents over from China. Her first job was working in a Chinese restaurant where they allowed her to sleep on a cot in the back so she didn't have to rent a room. Yes, very spartan, and she didn't have to do it for long, but she was thrilled.

I know some school districts have a trailer set-up for a family to live in at the edge of school grounds so they can act as a 24-hr security in exchange for free rent.

I just think there's lots of housing alternatives that haven't been implemented yet due to outmoded zoning restrictions and lack of creative thinking.

[Stella]

It's an interesting concept. I agree with meri that the decorating is kind of loud and impractical in these, but I am sure that would be easily changed. Like Miss Cellane, it does seem to me like parking is at a premium in a lot of urban areas, so I'm not sure how this would solve that.