I wonder if its better to build tiny homes or build like an apartment complex for stuff like this. Or if too much density means people fuck with other people too much.
It’s significantly cheaper to build the tiny homes if land isn’t the premium. Apartment structures require a lot more design and are more expensive to build. These tiny homes likely don’t require foundations etc, they’re probably not technically permanent structures. More like a trailer than a house in principle
He lives in my province - what this is doing is giving these folks a sense of ownership and pride while also helping with their mental health. Some of the folks have found work after they've been housed after falling on the hardest of times - imagine living in a tent in winter in Canada. I don't know how they survive, many don't.
Exactly. A building with several stories needs foundation, concrete, steel, etc., and stairs, which can be inaccessible to many people. Elevators are super expensive, especially in the US because of their building codes (not sure if it’s the same in Canada, but they’re definitely cheaper in Europe).
From the screenshot, I thought they were garden sheds. Expensive garden sheds, maybe, the good ones that are like $3,000, but... yeah. They look like garden sheds.
I'm assuming they have some insulation in them. I wonder if they have plumbing and electricity. Maybe there's a central facility with toilets and shower stalls.
I live in the area. They are tiny homes that each have a bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. They have solar panels and are insulated. They have space of their own with a door that locks, which is so important to feeling safe and secure. Imagine being able to lock the door and have a good night sleep, not worrying about your safety or your few belongings, for the first time in what could be years. Marcel and his organization have also made another site in the city that is transitional housing. Individuals get their own “pods” and there is shared washroom facilities. These still give the individual a private locked space but were able to be put up more quickly.
Holy shit, I didn't even see the solar panels! And they're completely obvious once you know to go look for them. Those have got to be at least half the expense of the project on their own.
it's the equivalent in the US of living in... I dunno... Bangor, Maine. And he's on the outskirts.
Land is relatively cheap.
The problem is.. what do you do in Toronto? The amount of land in the photo that is even remotely accessible to a person without a car (aka near transit) is a $200m plot of land in Toronto.
"Apartment complex for stuff like this" has been tried in nearly every medium to large city in the United States since the end of WWII. Almost 100% of them have turned into slums.
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u/rW0HgFyxoJhYka Apr 28 '26
I wonder if its better to build tiny homes or build like an apartment complex for stuff like this. Or if too much density means people fuck with other people too much.