General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)A solution to affordable housing... that Americans just don't seem to like. [View all]
Travel pretty much anywhere in Europe, particularly Central Europe... and you see these large apartment block buildings.
They're pretty much non-existent in the US, except for some in large cities.
But ever seen one in Orange County, CA? Or in the DFW metroplex?
These are large buildings with hundreds of residential homes inside.
I Know... I know...
Someone is going to slide in here and say "Yeah they're called the Projects and people trash them because they have no Pride of Ownership"
That's the thing. You have to build them nice. Integrate them into shopping areas, hiking trailheads, mass transit (if possible) and build them GREEN with modern efficiencies. MAKE THEM NICE.
And about crime? Undesirable criminal behavior? People abusing the property?
Make the buildings have a Residents Board. Have onsite security. Have the ability to kick people out for undesirable conduct.
KEEP them nice.
Think about it... If you build a couple big ass tract developments of SFH, you might have 150 homes with 500 residents.
You can have 500 people in one building.
It's much more efficient and you can build 2+2 1200sf homes for $150k-ish...
As long as people want their own little McMansion with the 1/4 acre lot and the construction companies make BIG profit off of those, we'll never see affordable housing.