I spent an hour and a half this last week with a group that have jobs but lack housing stability. Each and every one of them articulated that microhousing or congregate housing was their preferred next step in housing if available. https://twitter.com/owasow/status/1358250393659056140

There are too few tools available to address housing affordability and the fact that this type of housing is either prohibited or impossible to entitle removes yet another tool.

Moreover there are paternalistic of what the unhoused working poor need does nothing but guarantee that nothing ever happens to address their needs.

Many of the unhoused working poor do not want and do not need anything more than a small studio or a single room that can be secured and shared common kitchen facilities and a shared bathroom. How do I know? I asked.

There are other obstacles to housing the unhoused working poor that can be more easily addressed but require a significant change in mind set.

The bias against felons as well as policies expressly excluding felons from housing is a huge issue for the working poor.

Proximity to employment is a huge issue for the working poor is a huge issue for the working poor.

Design mandates that impose real expense on construction and operation of new housing, i.e. parking minimums, “private open space”, limits on bedrooms pose a huge issue for designing this type of housing

The inability to do the right thing and to build the right thing without facing discretionary review and the mass of NIMBYS is a huge issue

And many voices who loudly proclaim that “that isn’t affordable” or “who would want to live in that” or “no one should want to live like that” don’t care about the working poor, they just want cheaper housing. Less expensive housing =\\= affordable housing for the working poor.