Reply to absolutely absurd article on homeless encampment clearing on 17th st NW/Safeway

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I read an interesting article about housing.  They made the point that our housing needs have not changed in the last 100 years.  The difference is that we used to have boarding houses, etc.  Now, zoning discourages that type of housing.  Some people don't want a whole apartment.  They just want a safe room.  We have limited our options by saying you live in either a shelter or an apartment or house.  People need more options than that.[/quote]

ooops you’re going to trigger the insane anti-SRO guy!

I think housing costs are part of the story. As is transit, access to drug treatment. And also community and dignity. An SRO-type solution could provide some of that. [/quote]

I definitely think we should invest in SROs again![/quote]

I also think SROs are probably a necessary part of the solution.  It would probably also require some amendment to the current landlord-tenant laws.  One reason they worked in the distant past is that they had fairly strict rules for occupants.  If you are going to be sharing a bathroom with a bunch of people on the hall, it's important that people not be leaving literal crap on the floor, shooting up there, plus you don't want people renting it just to use for prostitution, etc.  So for them to work, it has to be fairly easy to evict people.  Interestingly, right now, homeless shelters have VERY strict rules for occupants -- which is one reason why many people try to avoid going into shelters.  For SROs to be a successful part of the solution, they need to fall somewhere between shelters and current landlord-tenant laws.  My guess is that maybe 30-50% of the long-term homeless could be helped by a solution like SROs, particularly if there were social service agencies working in tandem with the SROs to make sure people had appropriate supports and if the rates could be low enough to be affordable to people currently on SSI (currently $771/month, so something under $600 would be ideal).  So I guess the question is whether there's any private market for a SRO apartment that would be relatively small (under 50 units), renting for $600/month with no or limited requirement for a deposit/advance rent).   
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