# America’s empty bedrooms are up for grabs

> Co-living revives 20th-century housing solutions as cities grapple with affordability
- Title: America’s empty bedrooms are up for grabs · Vox | Shortify
- Summary: Co-living revives 20th-century housing solutions as cities grapple with affordability Co-living could become mainstream housing if zoning laws change
- Keywords: padsplit, seattle, nfl, housing, homelessness, zoning, co-living, sro, golden girls, belle terre, pacific legal foundation, room act
- Source: Vox — https://vox.com/the-highlight/502859/padsplit-sros-housing-affordable-bedroom-adult-dorms-homelessness
- Author: Rachel Cohen Booth
- Published: 2026-09-28T10:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: padsplit, seattle, nfl, housing, homelessness, zoning, co-living, sro, golden girls, belle terre, pacific legal foundation, room act
## 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
## Key takeaway

Co-living could become mainstream housing if zoning laws change