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San Francisco Residents Outraged Over Cost of Providing Tiny Houses For The Homeless
www.benzinga.com ^ | May 6, 2024 | Eric McConnell

Posted on 05/07/2024 7:08:51 AM PDT by Red Badger

San Francisco's well-publicized homelessness crisis is emblematic of the problems facing many of America's big cities as they struggle to provide affordable housing against the backdrop of high interest rates and low inventory.

This has led the city to employ a variety of methods to tackle the problem, but a recent plan to provide tiny houses for San Francisco's homeless population has residents furious over the cost.

The units would cost a reported $113,000 each to construct. Considering that the average home in San Francisco costs nearly $1 million the $113,000-per-unit cost for the tiny houses seems in line with San Francisco's notoriously expensive real estate market. Why is there so much outrage? First, it's much higher than nearby cities like Oakland and San Jose are paying to build comparable units. Second, the program is taxpayer-funded.

It also costs an estimated $2.9 million per year to operate the city program that will manage the units, and the tiny homes will be demolished in a few years to make way for a permanent affordable housing complex in San Francisco's Mission District. Many San Francisco residents question the wisdom of spending millions of dollars to build affordable housing, and then tear it down to replace it with another affordable housing development.

Making matters worse, most of San Francisco's housed residents are struggling to deal with the city's notoriously high cost of living. According to Apartments.com, the average residential rental in San Francisco costs $2,800 per month. That is nearly double the national average of $1,514 per month. Adding insult to injury is that $2,800 per month gets you a basic apartment in a basic neighborhood. Luxury dwellings cost upward of $5,000 per month.

Tenants are considered rent-burdened when their monthly rent exceeds 30% of their income. That means San Francisco residents must make about $100,000 per year just to keep their heads above water. Not long ago, a $100,000 per year income was considered a landmark on the way to economic freedom. Now, it's the minimum entry requirement for many of America's big cities.

Even though San Francisco's tech boom has created many millionaires, not all the city's residents work in that sector. Most schoolteachers, social workers, restaurant employees and regular workers in San Francisco make far less than $100,000 per year. No city can function without people staffing these positions, and most San Franciscans are an unexpected car repair or layoff away from being homeless.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; Military/Veterans; Society
KEYWORDS: california; homeless; housing; sanfrancisco; sanfransicko; tinyhomes
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To: Chode

Yes, before they are trashed, graffitied up and all the copper and aluminum sold for drug money...............................


41 posted on 05/07/2024 9:40:53 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

It looks like that picture shows 16 of these $113,000 tiny units.

$113,000 x 16 = $1,808,000 + whatever other costs per unit to actually get them in service.


42 posted on 05/07/2024 9:44:10 AM PDT by citizen (Put all LBQTwhatever programming on a new subscription service: PERV-TThose look good)
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To: citizen

As one astute FReeper pointed out, they could buy RV’s cheaper than that.............


43 posted on 05/07/2024 9:45:52 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Omnivore-Dan
"Build them, tear them down, build them again, tear them down again, on and on."

It's the perfect Democrat make-work project. "Look, unemployment is very low!"

At least FDR's programs left us with beautiful buildings and roads...


44 posted on 05/07/2024 9:48:47 AM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“When exposing a crime is treated like a crime, you are being ruled by criminals” – Edward Snowden)
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To: Red Badger

And RVs are ready to use. Although, from what I read, available space and hookups in RV parks is getting expensive.


45 posted on 05/07/2024 9:49:35 AM PDT by citizen (Put all LBQTwhatever programming on a new subscription service: PERV-TThose look good)
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To: citizen

It would be cheaper for cities to build RV parks than what they are doing now...................


46 posted on 05/07/2024 9:51:13 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: dfwgator

Then why does Deep State have to steal CA’s elections...?


47 posted on 05/07/2024 9:58:26 AM PDT by mewzilla (Never give up; never surrender!)
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To: Red Badger
Even though San Francisco's tech boom has created many millionaires...

This "crisis" is going to create a few too. Selling $5000 units to the city for $100,000 leaves quite a bit of room for the many waiting pockets. If there is any outrage, it's against the graft, not the product.

48 posted on 05/07/2024 10:01:26 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: mikelets456

You know, what is going to happen to the “homeless” once they cease to be useful?

If the left follows their usual pattern, well, one day they will disappear and all that will be left will be be mass graves in the desert.


49 posted on 05/07/2024 2:25:12 PM PDT by Ban Draoi Marbh Draoi ( Gen. 12:3: a warningrd to all antisemites)
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To: mikelets456

You know, what is going to happen to the “homeless” once they cease to be useful?

If the left follows their usual pattern, well, one day they will disappear and all that will be left will be be mass graves in the desert.


50 posted on 05/07/2024 2:25:12 PM PDT by Ban Draoi Marbh Draoi ( Gen. 12:3: a warningrd to all antisemites)
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To: dfwgator

“They wouldn’t vote for a Republican in San Francisco even if he was running against Hitler.”

You didn’t get the memo? The libs say Hitler was a republican. But if the media had said he was a democrat he’d have beat out God. Those sheep only respond to what they are told, not neccessarily facts. Besides, National Socialism is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler. Pot/kettle

wy69


51 posted on 05/07/2024 3:06:28 PM PDT by whitney69 (yption tunnels)
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To: Red Badger

The major part of the $113K cost for these is PLUMBING. Where does the waste go? It’s all in the permitting, codes and state and federal standards. By they time the druggie homeless finish them they will be stripped of all the plumbing, wiring, fixtures, etc. and sold off for drugs


52 posted on 05/07/2024 3:21:33 PM PDT by Gaffer
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To: Red Badger

What do you want to bet no plumbing. They’ll use a porto john.


53 posted on 05/07/2024 6:29:56 PM PDT by Keyhopper (Indians had bad immigration laws)
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To: Red Badger

Stupid has to be in the water out there.


54 posted on 05/08/2024 3:48:11 AM PDT by dforest ( )
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