Rendering of micro-unit apartment. Source: Mayor’s Office via Bloomberg Next City’s Forefront Magazine took a deep dive into the problems of SRO (Single Room Occupancy) units in New York City, highlighting the story of an immigrant from Guinea living in a unit in Hunts Point, Bronx. His crowded, illegally converted building has blocked fire escapes and windows that don’t open. At $80/week, these type of housing situation is the only option for a portion of New York City’s population. It’s estimated that 100,000 SROs exist across New York City. In describing the evolution of SRO’s Marina Ionava writes, The story of single room occupancy is, in essence, a story about the complex relationship U.S. cities have with their poorest and most transient residents. SRO was born out of urban overcrowding as cities scrambled to meet housing demands produced by industrialization and the urban population explosion of the early 20th century. But over time, SRO evolved from a… Read More