Living in an 84-square foot house

That really depends on the trailer. There’s a small trailer park near me. Some of the units are pieces of shit, some are nice. Just like some houses are pieces of shit and others are solid.

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Or “loft studio apartments”, to take it to the extreme.

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For a more extreme example from a few years ago, this German documentary of Kowloon that was made just before its demolition is a fascinating insight into communal life in a tiny space.

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And if anyone suggested building small inexpensive (which I note houses like this never are) places like this for poor people or dared to sugggest poor people should just get along with as few possessions as possible they would be tarred and feathered and ridden out of town on a rail for being heartless, fascist bastards.

If someone wants to live in a shoebox, then far be it from me to complain. But if you’re “helping” people by trying to squeeze them into a space that is clearly too small for their family, then yeah, you’re going to get pushback.

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I’d like to hear more about the allotment gardens of Germany, which also seem to function as weekend homes. These green spaces can be seen in the middle of the city along train lines, but they are very tidy as you’d expect from the Germans. These are no hobo jungles.

Thanks. Gotta visit there some time.

Well, all gardens are parts of one area owned or at least leased by charible associations, which are also charged with upholding the general rules. This can be stricter than the proverbial homeowners association, as some rules are laid down in national law.

The gardens don’t have to be near trains, though. There was one smack in the middle where I lived. Can’t find it on Google maps right now, but I remember passing it quite a few times when I was little.

Anyway, people may spend their weekends there, but staying overnight is usually against the rules and can result in termination of your lease.

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There’s quite a large one near my area. It isn’t far from the train line, but it sprawls in all directions for quite a way.

Micro-lofts.

http://tinyhousetalk.com/micro-loft-tiny-apartments-in-vancouver-rent-for-850-a-month-under-300-square-feet/

I’ve been looking at these ever since the global financial crisis. The question is always in my head, why? Why live like that?

Why? Well, as explained in the article you linked, to be able to afford to live in an area that you otherwise couldn’t afford. Wouldn’t be worth it to me, but hey, whatever floats your boat.

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No, you can live in a much bigger area on the same rent price. Either commute further, share, or luck out on a shabby older studio in the downtown core. Note article was dated 2 years ago, so rent should be about $880/month~almost 900. And don’t depend on craiglist search for Vancouver rentals for the downtown core. Better luck going to the residential towers and look for suites.

Besides, my question is about the 84^2ft house. At the same price of construction you could get a bigger camp trailer, which does the same job. Plus if it’s on a truck or even Class C type you could just pick up and relocate to where ever you want. Barring legal and practical issues of course.

It just doesn’t make sense to me to live in a such a small area when you don’t have to. NY, HK, Tokyo, I understand, mass density problems. Bohemian lifestyle?–sure. But practically in general? Nope, I’d rather relocate to a cheaper city.

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Yes, I remember that Walmart trip the most out of everything in the movie, because it almost seemed like she was going crazy from feeling “broke” and was dumping things almost blindly into the carts, then when she handed out the presents no one seemed to even care about it. It was like watching an addict try to get another hit but the stuff wasn’t doing what it used to.

I kept hoping she’d hold up some useless item, light bulb would turn on over her head, and she’d go, “yeah, it’s not in here,” and put all the stuff back, go home, have a garage sale, sell the house, and move to a tiny home.

Instead, I think she opted for more botox and another boob job.

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That’s kind of the idea for the Ronald McDonald house, to have a place to stay for the families of sick children.

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You mean the Wham Museum, right?

Being Florida you just wait for the sinkholes to eat it up.

Towers. I live on the 13th floor. I have a penultimatehouse apartment.

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And do you have minions living in the lower levels? Then that way when someone tries to assassinate you they must conquer an ever increasing set of challenging bosses?

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we don’t even have a goddamn concierge anymore. It sucks.

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To speak to the Vancouver situation - commuting farther defeats the purpose (these people want to live in that area specifically, for whatever reason), some people don’t want/like to share, and a shabby older studio won’t look nearly as fancy as this if you’re the suit-and-tie upwardly mobile type. So yeah, there’s definitely a market for it. I’m definitely not in that market (I chose specifically to live in the suburbs of Toronto because I wanted a big place, and didn’t care that I didn’t live downtown), but there’s something for everybody I guess.

As for the OP, well… I guess the same applies. Sure, she could afford bigger, but she didn’t want (or need) bigger. So, I guess this worked for her.

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