Planning Board approval of 30 small apartments in the YMCA will benefit young people aging out of foster care, but are there other populations in Plainfield that need compact places to live?
Census statistics show that among the city's more than 15,000 households, 21.3 percent consist of individuals living alone. The percentage happens to match the proportion of residents living below the poverty level, though it may not be an exact correlation. Nonetheless, any observer of the community can attest to the need of housing for seniors, parolees, single persons and those who are currently homeless.
Real estate leader RE/MAX called "micro apartments" a hot trend in 2014 for young professionals who tend to store their books and music digitally and prefer urban living with access to restaurants, shops and entertainment, but other categories of singles live lightly, such as seniors who embrace downsizing.
The city currently allows studio or efficiency apartments at 500 square feet, which is the size of a micro apartment in the RE/MAX article. The YMCA apartments range from 369 to 550 square feet.
Rent for a new 1-bedroom apartment may be as much as $1,300, not easy for retirees to swing when the average Social Security benefit in January 2016 was $1,341. A person earning the state minimum wage of $8.38 per hour would only gross $1,340.80 for four 40-hour work weeks, another tough situation.
Being able to choose a micro apartment might cut down on the number of illegal occupancies and lend some dignity to individuals who are now exploited by avaricious "landlords" in shared housing.
The preferred tenant for new apartments may be the "walking wallet" type, but there are plenty of people already here whose wallets are thin. In his recent State of the City, Mayor Adrian O. Mapp said, "We are committed in 2016 to expanding and promoting opportunities for all Plainfield residents in the fields of nutrition, housing, health, income stabilization, criminal justice and improved community life."
Within the spectrum of housing choices, is there a place for micro apartments?
--Bernice
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I don't think the people of Plainfield can afford over $1300 for a small apartment. That seems out of line for our community. I work and make decent money, but would find that kind of rent hard to pay.
ReplyDeleteBob Bolmer
While I agree with Bob, the hope is that there will be people from outside of Plainfield who will join the community who will be able to pay the $1,300 +.
ReplyDeleteBefore anyone thinks I am trying to push people of Plainfield out, I am not. There are apartments for under that amount where Plainfielders can live. Hopefully, the landlords are decent and provide clean, healthy a safe housing.
I believe Plainfield can welcome all who want to live here, which is why it is so very unique.
I would like to see small studios that could encourage artists to rent them at reasonable rates as places to work..
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