Housing options for Free-Staters

[jockox3]

Just thinking about the comment on the show tonight about affordable housing for Free Staters, something I'm involved with in the UK which started not far over the state line in Burlington, VT (sure, it was Bernie Sanders, but don't hold that against the idea!) is called "Community Land Trusts".  It's often arranged as a co-operative, in which residents buy as much of the equity as they can afford, rather than according to the size of unit they need.  So you might get a relatively well off single with a one bedroomed apartment but who owns a bigger chunk of the equity in the development (and which is what he or he gets to sell out if they decide to move) and they are effectively cross-subsidising the less well off family that needs a three bedroomed property on a lower income.

Another fun option for some type of people, especially if they share a common interest, but which can actually often work out more expensive, is something called "co-housing" which is a development where everyone gets the house they want, but there's also usually "common space" built in - such as a common dining room for when you want to share meals, space for home-schooling or home-working and so on.

[alaric89]

Might be a helpful idea for those who wish to live communally. I can't imagine that there would be many households per Community Land Trust, but you never know. Ex military might like that sort of living, for example.

[Evil Muppet]

I think quite a few people would have a problem with the cross subsidization aspect of it.  I know some people would be favorable to an idea like that but I also know a lot of people would find such an arrangement fair.  If I pay 25% of the price of something, I want 25% of the control, space, usage or whatever.