r/Snorkblot • u/Thubanstar • 12h ago

Controversy American Cities Were Once Full of Cheap Boarding Houses — So Why Did They Disappear?

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OYMZWuuUYT0&si=b2aDOdhYTTbRbZr-
14 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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3

u/Every_Addition_5382 12h ago

With the price of rent they'll be back.

4

u/Thubanstar 12h ago

If people get more involved with their local governments, yes.

5

u/_Punko_ 11h ago

cheap boarding houses didn't generate enough income

3

u/Thubanstar 6h ago

Are you speaking from stories of the past you know of?

The video says it was a real source of income for a ton of people. My own mother let out rooms (no one mentioned zoning when she did this) and made a tidy little income with a shared kitchen, bathroom, and nothing fancy.

2

u/timesink2000 2h ago

My town zoning prohibits more than 4 non-related people from living together. To operate a boarding house legally, it would have to be in the appropriate zoning area and pass all of the building and fire code requirements. Probably the closest thing these days would be the less expensive extended stay motels.

2

u/Ash_an_bun 1h ago

They're locked out as if you rent more than a month you technically have to sign a lease in some places.

8

u/Bwilderedwanderer 10h ago

Zoning laws changed to prevent helping the homeless