From Vox · Rachel Cohen Booth · · 2m
America’s empty bedrooms are up for grabs
Co-living revives 20th-century housing solutions as cities grapple with affordability
In brief
Co-living revives 20th-century housing solutions as cities grapple with affordability Co-living could become mainstream housing if zoning laws change Originally reported by Vox.
Empty bedrooms now rentable
Todd Waller found affordable housing through PadSplit, a company renting single bedrooms in homes by the week with no security deposit.
“It said I could get approved right away and move in tomorrow”
Co-living’s affordability
Waller pays $180 weekly for a bedroom, saving $500 monthly compared to renting alone, and uses the money to buy a car.
“I pay $500 less a month than I would if I were renting without roommates”
The 1974 zoning rule
A 1974 Supreme Court case lets cities define 'family' for zoning, often excluding roommates.
“Village of Belle Terre v. Boraas”
Kansas lawsuit challenge
Shawnee, Kansas banned co-living groups, but a lawsuit challenged the rule using the 1974 Supreme Court precedent.
“The city’s ordinance defined four or more unrelated adults sharing a home as a violation”
Golden Girls bill
Four states passed laws allowing more roommates, with Pennsylvania’s bill pending Senate approval.
“The Golden Girls bill would prevent four unrelated women from sharing a house”
Room Act movement
The ROOM Act aims to remove city restrictions on co-living, with 2027 legislative deadlines for adoption.
“The ROOM Act would bar cities from restricting how many unrelated roommates can live together”
Homeowners’ dilemma
Shawnee homeowner Val French lost her son and girlfriend to the city’s occupancy rules, forcing her to move out.
“Her son and his girlfriend had to move out”
Historical context
Cities banned single-room occupancies (SROs) after WWII, associating them with poverty, leading to a housing shortage.
“SROs were banned in the 1950s as middle-class families moved to suburbs”
Zoning barriers
Zoning laws define 'family' as blood, marriage, or adoption, making co-living illegal in many areas.
“Zoning codes require family members to be related by blood, marriage, or adoption”
Co-living growth
Households sharing space with nonrelatives grew by 500,000 between 2017 and 2022, signaling shifting norms.
“The number of households sharing space with nonrelatives grew by more than 500,000”
Homeowners’ savings
Senior homeowners can earn $300 monthly for renting a room to another senior, plus $2,500 for home modifications.
“DC’s Senior Co-Living Program pays $300 a month for renting a room to another senior”
Pandemic impact
Post-pandemic remote work left 20% of office space empty, creating opportunities for co-living conversions.
“About a fifth of American office space is empty post-pandemic”
Homelessness solution
Co-living helps people avoid shelter by providing immediate, affordable housing without deposits.
“Co-living helps people going through emergencies avoid shelter living”
Legal challenges
The Pacific Legal Foundation argues co-living is protected under the 14th Amendment, challenging the 1974 Supreme Court precedent.
“The 14th Amendment protects the right to choose household living companions”
State action
Iowa, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado have passed laws to ease co-living restrictions, with more states targeting 2027.
“Colorado passed a law prohibiting cities from restricting unrelated roommates”
Cultural shift
Co-living is gaining traction as a solution to housing shortages, with businesses expanding into major cities.
“PadSplit is expanding into New York, Chicago, and San Francisco”
The one thing
Co-living could become mainstream housing if zoning laws change
