Rooming houses-cheap living (Quincy, Framingham, Waltham: apartments, to rent, college)

[inquisitive2]

Does anyone remember years ago when people were able to rent a furnished room in a house for a lot less than apartments or houses?

Wondering why this hasn't returned considering that the cost of living has sky rocketed.

Do you think we"ll see this again?

[johngolf]

Many rent out rooms under the radar due to licensing. There some older type Board Houses still around. One is The Andover Manse, 109 Main St, Andover MA.

I lived in one in Lexington on Mass. Ave, outside the town center back in the 60's. Communal kitchen and TV room with 6 to 8 private rooms on two floors with 3-4 rooms sharing one bathroom. That place is long gone now. I do not miss that style of living, but it was cheap and meet my needs at the times.

Google Boarding Houses and you will get some hits.

[robr2]

State statute defines a rooming house as any single dwelling with 4 or more unrelated persons living in it. Rooming houses, if allowed in the city or town, are subject to state regulations. Go to any college town and one will find illegal rooming houses with more than 4 students in them.

[bostonguy1960]

There are usually a few listed, at times, on Craigslist for Quincy, Waltham, Framingham, Mansfield, Taunton, Everett and other towns.

But...they're not super cheap anymore. Most are minimum $150 weekly but more likely close to $200 and more weekly.

One I knew of in Coolidge Corner converted to a single-family in 2004.

Most seem to have a stigma, then and now, for various reasons.