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Living space cost per sq-ft has grown while storage space cost per sq-ft has stayed the same. Why? Handicap accessibility regulations, parking regulations, etc

Living space cost per sq-ft has grown while storage space cost per sq-ft has stayed the same. Why? Handicap accessibility regulations, parking regulations, etc etc have greatly increased the construction cost of new houses. i.e. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/05/19/upshot/forty-percent-of-manhattans-buildings-could-not-be-built-today.html https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/05/19/upshot/forty-... Storage facilities do not have people living in them and are therefore immune from lots of these expensive regulations. Hence, they are now an increasingly good deal compare to residential real estate.

eganist 9y ago
Are you speaking more generally, or about urban centers specifically (which tend to be more regulated anyway)? The citation you provided doesn't assert anything about cost per sqft of living space; it's mostly focused on the feel and vibe of NYC post-regulation. And I'm willing to put money on the fact that these particular regulations are no match to the outsized demand for housing in more regulated municipalities.
ethbro 9y ago
Ah, so that's how we end up at Snow Crash-esque storage-units-turned-housing...
- blhack 9y ago
  People not living in storage units is definitely not a cost thing, it's a regulatory thing. If it were allowed, I would have absolutely lived in a storage unit through most of my 20s, and I think a lot of my friends would have too.
  - ethbro 9y ago
    Agreed! I was specifically alluding to the fact that if we continue to pile up building regulations, but don't increase regulations on storage units, then a lot of people will only be able to afford living in "storage" units. To be fair, storage units with a communal bathroom and power are more than most folks had circa 1930.
    - blhack 9y ago
      I don't think we are far off from people living in "storage units" that are approximately the size of their VR play space, with the only addition of a bed, and commmnal bathrooms and refrigerators. I actually don't think we are more than 5 years away from people spending more time in VR than they do in meatspace.
Retric 9y ago
That has almost nothing to do with the price changes. The vast majority of price changes is cities becoming more desirable via lower crime and reduced pollution + failing to keep up with housing demand + lower effective interest rates. Consider the infrastructure changes around DC in the last 30 years vs the changes in population. In 2010 DC had 600k people in 2017 it hit 694k that's a dramatic shift. On the other hand it's population had been falling from 1945 to 2000. The people who left still commuted to DC, but infrastructure was not keeping up.
forapurpose 9y ago
A well-regulated community which accommodates the needs of its members, rather than a compassionless free-for-all, is attractive to people and may increase demand. After all, those people passed those laws and regulations. I know that's the kind of place I want to live.

eganist 9y ago

Are you speaking more generally, or about urban centers specifically (which tend to be more regulated anyway)? The citation you provided doesn't assert anything about cost per sqft of living space; it's mostly focused on the feel and vibe of NYC post-regulation. And I'm willing to put money on the fact that these particular regulations are no match to the outsized demand for housing in more regulated municipalities.

ethbro 9y ago

Ah, so that's how we end up at Snow Crash-esque storage-units-turned-housing...

blhack 9y ago
People not living in storage units is definitely not a cost thing, it's a regulatory thing. If it were allowed, I would have absolutely lived in a storage unit through most of my 20s, and I think a lot of my friends would have too.
- ethbro 9y ago
  Agreed! I was specifically alluding to the fact that if we continue to pile up building regulations, but don't increase regulations on storage units, then a lot of people will only be able to afford living in "storage" units. To be fair, storage units with a communal bathroom and power are more than most folks had circa 1930.
  - blhack 9y ago
    I don't think we are far off from people living in "storage units" that are approximately the size of their VR play space, with the only addition of a bed, and commmnal bathrooms and refrigerators. I actually don't think we are more than 5 years away from people spending more time in VR than they do in meatspace.

Retric 9y ago

That has almost nothing to do with the price changes. The vast majority of price changes is cities becoming more desirable via lower crime and reduced pollution + failing to keep up with housing demand + lower effective interest rates. Consider the infrastructure changes around DC in the last 30 years vs the changes in population. In 2010 DC had 600k people in 2017 it hit 694k that's a dramatic shift. On the other hand it's population had been falling from 1945 to 2000. The people who left still commuted to DC, but infrastructure was not keeping up.

forapurpose 9y ago

A well-regulated community which accommodates the needs of its members, rather than a compassionless free-for-all, is attractive to people and may increase demand. After all, those people passed those laws and regulations. I know that's the kind of place I want to live.