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$700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them

sfstandard.com

141–147 of 147 posts

Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them

#141
The reaction to this was generally pretty negative, so I’m pleasantly surprised that the top comments here were mostly positive.

It’s important to understand there are two floors of working spaces and a private office that’s usually open. It’s not just the pod, and that’s just for sleeping.

This is the lowest-cost way for me to be in SF, and it’s been an insanely net positive trade so far. I was in central IL trying to build a startup before this.

And to be honest, it’s pretty cool waking up and knowing my friends will be downstairs, and I can talk to them about whatever I’m working on that day etc. I like it way more than I thought I would, it’s beyond “bearable.”

It’s not luxury living by any means but it’s not this awful thing that people are taking it as.

Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them

#142

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This isn't worsening living conditions though. 50 years ago, in most places in the US, people shit into pits in the ground covered by a shed with a crescent carved into the door. They had lots of land, and they lived in drafty wooden shacks with, at best, a wood stove to keep them warm. 100 years ago in cities like new York most new immigrants lived in rickety stick buildings and took a shit in shared privies. The fa…

Apples and oranges? Thread is about SF. Having known someone who lived there ~50 years ago, not to mention the parent poster, they described better living conditions for less money.

OK... If this had been an option 50 years ago, and proportionally cheaper, would people have taken this cheaper route? I think probably. It's not any different than a hostel except that it's monthly instead of nightly, and cheaper. The issue here then is the cost of living in SF, not the particulars of this arrangement.

Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them

#143

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It works well in Tokyo. These are common housing for kids who might only have part time jobs at convenience stores. By this logic, homeless encampments under freeway underpasses work well in the US. They are common for people who can't afford anything else so why fix what's not broken?

Actually housing, even if small, works better than homeless encampments. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

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Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them

#144
post #112

Still quite big. But this is clearly the future we will be all forced into to combat climate change. Just imagine how much will we save in emissions by forcing everyone to live like this.

Probably not much. We'd still have to deliver goods which is the bulk of the transportation carbon chain.

Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them

#145
post #16
post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A coworking space costs like 500 dollars so you would basically just get that bed sized appartement for 200 dollars per month.

Or, ya know, get an actual apartment that isn't a dystopian hell hole and NOT rent a co-working space. Because you actually own a desk.

Not at all the same thing and way more expensive. Not saying I see the point of the dystopian hell hole but it is a very cheap hell hole.

Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them

#146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It works well in Tokyo. These are common housing for kids who might only have part time jobs at convenience stores. By this logic, homeless encampments under freeway underpasses work well in the US. They are common for people who can't afford anything else so why fix what's not broken?

Actually housing, even if small, works better than homeless encampments. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

Then why do so many people use homeless encampments instead of houses?

Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them

#147
post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are you upset by people who don't refer to tomatoes as berries? Because, scientifically, they are.

Not upset. Just correcting you. Bugs are hemiptera, which is an order of the class insecta. Lobster is not in that order and it's not even in that class. If you say "scientifically" then you're especially wrong.

'Bugs' is also an idiom for arthropods and it's pretty clear from context that this is how the word was being used. I understand some people have more difficulty than others picking up on idioms but that's no reason not to take all the poetry out of everyday speech. Linguistic drift is a beautiful thing! Just embrace it.
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