I scorned the SF tech scene growing up, and now that I'm getting older, it seems foolish that I didn't live there for a few years and try to fleece some VCs to build a crappy product and exit with millions, or at least take one of those cushy $350K jobs and bank most of it for a decade. Could be retired at 40, instead I'll be saving for retirement until 68.
$700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
31–40 of 147 posts
Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
#32It sounds like the $700 covers more than the pod itself — renters also get access to a coworking space (and obviously, bathrooms and common areas. What is the going rate for coworking space in SF? To me (or rather, single me from many years ago), the key remaining question is what the bathroom situation is like. If you have to wait in line for bathrooms/showers with dozens of other residents, I'd pass. But if they ha…
> access to a coworking space (and obviously, bathrooms) Neither of those things are obvious. 700$/month is more than enough for an apartment with 1.5 bedrooms where I live. This seems nightmarish.
And I could go to a super rural area and get something even cheaper. People also pay even more than this for super tiny claustrophobic apartments in NYC and HK. Cities provide value in all kinds of ways, and it turns out they’re popular. Having cheap options that allows a wider range of people to take advantage of it sounds like a great idea to me.
Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
#33[flagged]
Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
#34Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
#35Looking through this thread, it is surprising that there are actually people who consider this "acceptable". Like it is not something out of a dystopian hellscape. Amazing how much a person can be conditioned into accepting a terrible situation. And no, there are ways to fix this, there is just no will to do so, partly because of the people who see nothing wrong with it.
I think we need more options like this which reduce prices for people in expensive areas everywhere. Would you rather people be priced out? I’d rather have a bigger mix of people in any one metropolis.
Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
#36Not ideal, but a step in the right direction. We used to have SROs -- Single Room Occupancy -- units for singles, childless couples, retirees. We've torn down about a million of them since WWII. We need to update the concept and bring it back in some fashion. If your life is online, you don't need that much space. You don't need rows of bookshelves when you can download kindle books. Founders of online businesses are…
More than a step, this oversteps the mark by quite a bit. A human being shouldn't have to live in a space that small. I can't imagine it not screwing up anyone's mental health when just looking at a picture of it is giving me an anxiety attack.
Well, I don't entirely disagree with you (about it overstepping the mark). But I also think you are exaggerating the negatives here.
I would like to see SROs updated. This is not that.
Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
#37Not ideal, but a step in the right direction. We used to have SROs -- Single Room Occupancy -- units for singles, childless couples, retirees. We've torn down about a million of them since WWII. We need to update the concept and bring it back in some fashion. If your life is online, you don't need that much space. You don't need rows of bookshelves when you can download kindle books. Founders of online businesses are…
This reminds me of the “Architect from Pluto” scene in Jodorowsky’s Holy Mountain. The architect reveals his new efficient apartment design: a matrix of coffins. He received a thunderous applause from his investors. [1] “A man doesn’t need a home. All he needs is a shelter. If we can sell him on the idea of a shelter, we’ll make millions.” [1] https://youtu.be/FASvJF21yXU?feature=shared&t=70 (contains nudity)
Or more closely the sleeping pod scenes in Tokyo in Wim Wenders Until the End of the World (1991)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfFWBWKwQT8
Just the trailer - it's a 5 hour film and hard to find the specific scene on youtube
Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
#38Looking through this thread, it is surprising that there are actually people who consider this "acceptable". Like it is not something out of a dystopian hellscape. Amazing how much a person can be conditioned into accepting a terrible situation. And no, there are ways to fix this, there is just no will to do so, partly because of the people who see nothing wrong with it.
I'm honestly confused about which part specifically you find unacceptable.
Do you think it should be illegal to sell housing smaller than a certain minimum size? Do you think the price is too high? Do you think the location is awful?
Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
#39I will not live in the pod. I will not eat bugs.
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Re: $700 a Month for a Bed-Sized “Pod” in Downtown SF? Techies Are Renting Them
#40Looking through this thread, it is surprising that there are actually people who consider this "acceptable". Like it is not something out of a dystopian hellscape. Amazing how much a person can be conditioned into accepting a terrible situation. And no, there are ways to fix this, there is just no will to do so, partly because of the people who see nothing wrong with it.
Scrappy people solving problems is the only way problems are gonna get solved.
Also living in a dorm is not the hardship you seem to think it is. It’s better accommodations than 90% of people in history have ever lived. Watch Les Miserables for a reality check.
Better to direct anger at the landed gentry who made this possible.