With the nuclear family in the minority, Build-to-Rent (#BTR) is not the panacea for solving the housing crisis
The traditional model of housing in the United States, characterized by single-family homes and nuclear families, is no longer meeting the needs of most Americans.
Increasing numbers of people are feeling alone, isolated, and disconnected.
They are either mishoused, ill-housed, or unhoused.
One solution to this housing crisis is #cohousing, a type of community living that creates a sense of #family and belonging.
Cohousing is a form of #intentional community living in which residents collectively own and manage their homes and shared spaces.
The concept originated in Denmark in the 1960s and has since spread to other parts of Europe and North America.
In cohousing communities, residents have private bedrooms, bathrooms, and smaller kitchens but share common spaces such as a larger kitchen, living rooms, and gardens.
This shared living model encourages interaction and socialization among residents, which can lead to a stronger sense of community and belonging.
One of the reasons why traditional housing is no longer meeting the needs of most Americans is:
- The nuclear family is becoming the minority,
- More than half of women over the age of 18 do not live with a spouse, and
- 28% of people over 60 live alone.
This trend towards single-person households is partly due to an aging population, as well as a shift away from traditional family structures.
As a result, many people are looking for alternative forms of housing that provide a sense of community and belonging. Cohousing can provide this alternative.
It allows people to live in a community with shared values and a sense of belonging, without necessarily having to be part of a traditional family unit.
Cohousing can also provide a more #affordablehousing option for those who cannot afford to purchase a #singlefamilyhome.
Build-to-rent properties are not a panacea to the housing shortage in the United States.
While they provide an alternative to homeownership, they do not necessarily address the issue of a lack of community and belonging.
These properties are designed for renters and often lack the communal spaces and shared resources that define cohousing communities.
Build-to-rent properties are a great start to ease the housing crisis.
A few tweaks on design and intention will help resolve additional social struggles such as loneliness, isolation, and solutions for the unhoused.
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