5 people to a one bedroom apartment - is this the new norm? (Los Angeles: apartments, foreclosure)

[LALady]

I'm noticing in my building a new trend... Everyone is living 4 to 5 people into one bedroom apartments. Usually mom and dad and 2 or 3 kids. And, no, I'm not talking about 'the ghetto'. I'm referring to the mid income range areas of the SFV. Is this the new norm? Use to see this with the poorest immigrants. Now it seems to be occuring with two income families.

Input???

[EscapeCalifornia]

Not surprising at all. Kids are expensive and a 1 bedroom apartment is the cheapest thing you can rent that's not a studio and not a room in someone else's house. The higher housing costs become, the more people get forced into a lower standard of living.

[SandyCo]

I think the occupancy limits are two people to each room - meaning that if you have a one-bedroom apartment, four (!) people can live there legally. The living room counts as one room, and of course, so does the bedroom. This whole thing makes no sense, because in a two-bedroom, it's legal to have six people, even if they're all only sharing one bathroom!

And no, this isn't that surprising. That's how I would be forced to live if I hadn't been living in a rent-controlled apartment for ten years. People don't live like this by choice, but by necessity.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

I think the occupancy limits are two people to each room - meaning that if you have a one-bedroom apartment, four (!) people can live there legally. The living room counts as one room, and of course, so does the bedroom. This whole thing makes no sense, because in a two-bedroom, it's legal to have six people, even if they're all only sharing one bathroom!

Bathrooms don't count as living quarters. Neither do closets or unfinished basements/garages.

[katenik]

Originally Posted by SandyCo

I think the occupancy limits are two people to each room - meaning that if you have a one-bedroom apartment, four (!) people can live there legally. The living room counts as one room, and of course, so does the bedroom. This whole thing makes no sense, because in a two-bedroom, it's legal to have six people, even if they're all only sharing one bathroom!

And no, this isn't that surprising. That's how I would be forced to live if I hadn't been living in a rent-controlled apartment for ten years. People don't live like this by choice, but by necessity.

my understanding is that occupancy limits are two per bedroom, plus one, so three would be the max for a 1BR. i'm aware of a family of four who live in one bedroom, but they had a hard time finding someone to rent to them. i'm in my 1BR alone, and tripping over myself, so i don't know how people do it.

[LALady]

Originally Posted by katenik

my understanding is that occupancy limits are two per bedroom, plus one, so three would be the max for a 1BR. i'm aware of a family of four who live in one bedroom, but they had a hard time finding someone to rent to them. i'm in my 1BR alone, and tripping over myself, so i don't know how people do it.

I once glimpsed into one of these crowded apartments and saw bunk beds in the living room. Those old apartments along Victory Boulevard (near Victory and Coldwater), demolished a few years ago, had doors facing the street. Beds could be seen in the living rooms of almost all of them.

Regarding occupancy rules.... Babies are born after the move in, pushing the occupancy past the limits.

[LALady]

Here are the rules (as posted on the internet)

City of Los Angeles Municipal Code states that a unit is overcrowded when more than one person resides for each 200 square feet of living area. This would be grounds for eviction if your tenant has exceeded this number.

[ShiftyMut]

Some of this may be due to the housing foreclosure problem... people are 'bunking' together till they can land a place they can afford.

Or

It a bunch of illegals

[UB50]

I don't think this is uncommon around here. A friend of mine lives near a brand-new two-story house that must have 30 people living in it. Unfortunately, all 30 people have cars so street parking is something else in his neighborhood.

[greggd]

Originally Posted by LALady

I'm noticing in my building a new trend... Everyone is living 4 to 5 people into one bedroom apartments. Usually mom and dad and 2 or 3 kids. And, no, I'm not talking about 'the ghetto'. I'm referring to the mid income range areas of the SFV. Is this the new norm? Use to see this with the poorest immigrants. Now it seems to be occuring with two income families.

Input???

Part of it may/is due to education costs. 2 kids in the san fernando valley from a middle income home means tuition at private schools. I hear this so many times from people who absolutely lower their quality of living and financial security because they pay private school tuition. One reason why I support many smaller neighborhood schools over larger ones and busing.

I think there is much more to it though. I see the same thing in West LA. I think the standard and conception that kids and condos dont mix is no longer the norm.