Why boardinghouses could make a comeback

为何寄宿公寓可能卷土重来

The Indicator from Planet Money

2026-06-02

9 分钟
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There is a burgeoning effort across the U.S. to revive boardinghouses, aka single room occupancy units or SROs, as a solution to the housing crisis. But what happened to them in the first place? We track the disappearance of the first rung of the housing ladder. Fact-checking by Vito Emanuel.  Your Next Listen — How to build abundantly Connect with The Indicator — Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter — Find our socials, YouTube and more! — For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+ See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy
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  • On the Upper West Side of Manhattan, there is a big brick building

  • that offers clues about how to bring down homelessness.

  • This building is seven stories tall and really wide.

  • It takes up the whole block length.

  • On one of the floors lives a resident of 15 years.

  • My name is Vera Hill.

  • I'm not going to ask you how old you are.

  • I don't mind telling how old I am.

  • I'm 77. In Vera's room, there's a sofa, a recliner, a widescreen TV, and lots of photos on the walls.

  • My brother, my sisters.

  • That's my mom over the clock.

  • There's also an artwork that says in all capital letters, fierce.

  • Oh, that was given to me by one of the kids.

  • I'm fierce.

  • Her space doesn't have it all, though.

  • I would love to have an apartment with a kitchen.

  • You have to share a bathroom?

  • Yes.

  • Oh, that's, yes.

  • Vera Hill lives in what's called a single room occupancy building or an SRO.