I really love New York. Apart from Paris, it’s probably my favorite city in the world. My mom took me there to visit family when I was 15, and I guess you never forget your first love – well, New York was my first travel crush and it’s still special to me. Recently, an article about the housing situation in the Daily Mail caught my eye.
It mentioned that housing in New York is expensive, but there was some good news for city residents. Plans were announced to build a block of affordable, micro-apartments where renters can live in less than 400 square feet. It’s still going to cost a lot, though.
These tiny apartments are designed to be highly functional. Once your guests leave, you can fold up your table and your sofa can be transformed into a bed. Since New York is also a hub for surfers, you can store your surfboard in the upper storage space. All the apartment units will be built in Brooklyn and assembled with a crane. I’m curious about how they’ll connect them with hallways and manage the plumbing and electrical wiring. Some units even have four windows.
The article stated that 55 new units are planned for East 27th Street in Manhattan, with 40% designated for low and middle-income New Yorkers. The units will be between 250 to 370 square feet. The building will also feature rehearsal spaces, lecture halls, a cafe, laundry rooms, and more – things you can’t possibly fit into such tiny homes.
Mayor Bloomberg mentioned that New York’s ability to adapt with changing times has made it the world’s greatest city and will keep it strong in the 21st century. I wonder if this is his idea of sustainable quality housing for New Yorkers. I lived in a small apartment during college in Paris, but it was a temporary situation. As a grown adult with a stable income, living in such conditions seems unreasonable.
How can it be worth the sacrifices to live in the city like this? I thought only people in Hong Kong were crazy enough to rent 90-square-foot “coffin-sized” living quarters.
If you’re young, get a big loft with two roommates or rent out a second bedroom to tourists via Airbnb. If you earn more, you’ll spend more. NYC needs teachers, firemen, and nurses, but you’d make slightly less in other areas where living costs are lower. If you love city life, visit a big city a few times a year for fun instead. When was the last time you went to a Broadway show or visited the Empire State Building?
If you have kids, they might not get to attend museums or cupcake parties on the Upper East Side, but small-town kids can enjoy the outdoors, go camping, biking, and fishing. You can take them to the Air and Space Museum once a year.
Living comfortably in the big city is awesome if you can afford it. My cousin lives in NYC, married to a trader, works at one of the best art museums, and they comfortably afford their big apartment, the French Lycée tuition for their kids, and European holidays.
I’ve always tried to keep my rent or mortgage to 25% of my income. For some of my friends, over half their pay goes toward rent and commuting. Living in the heart of the action is fun, but is it worth it to compromise your well-being?
Felice Cohen chose to live in a 12 x 7 feet Manhattan apartment to stay in the Upper West Side where rents average $3,600 per month. For her 90-square-foot microstudio, she pays just over $700 monthly.
Having friends and family around is nice, but your primary concern should be your well-being and that of your immediate family. If you can’t provide them with basic space for living and a kitchen where you’re not bumping into each other, why stay where you are?
In Guatemala, houses are ridiculously big. People live in homes with walk-in closets and bathrooms for each bedroom. When I went to Europe, my boyfriend was shocked by the size of my friends’ places despite their good incomes. Many are thinking of relocating to the South of France for more living space.
It’s unfair that everyone can’t afford decent housing on a middle-class salary, but we can’t change the size of Manhattan, and prices will rise with demand. Do you want to live there so badly that you’re ready to compromise your quality of life?
I like the idea of a small house. My house is small by Guatemalan standards, but I have room to stretch, store things, entertain friends, and it’s set in the middle of nowhere. Even if I feel claustrophobic, I can look out and see water and trees, not a neighbor who forgets to dress.
It all comes down to your priorities, but take some time to reflect on the cost of living in a big city:
– Extra rent or mortgage
– Higher taxes
– Higher food and entertainment prices
– Transport costs
– Commute time
Is it worth it? Would you live in a big city with a small paycheck?
