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>We've seen very little actual VC money or Research and development go into improving the cost of creating Shelter "Blokable Closes $23 Million in Series A Fin

>We've seen very little actual VC money or Research and development go into improving the cost of creating Shelter "Blokable Closes $23 Million in Series A Financing to Lower the Cost of Developing, Building, and Owning Multi-Family Housing in West Coast Communities" https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blokable-closes-23-million-in-series-a-financing-to-lower-the-cost-of-developing-building-and-owning-multi-family-housing-in-west-coast-communities-300903401.html https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blokable-closes-23-...

cameronbrown 7y ago
Blokable prefabs look horrible. We don't need cubes/boxes to shove humans into, we need real homes. The housing shortage isn't just about a lack of shelter but about a lack of human spaces.
- lazyasciiart 7y ago
  I will start caring about the second one when we have solved the first, and not before.
  - nmeofthestate 7y ago
    That's a great recipe for building soul-sapping places that people then have to suffer in for decades/generations.
  - cameronbrown 7y ago
    I disagree. I think these concepts are fundamentally linked - the architecture around us has a significant impact on the human psyche. Make the place look shit (read: putting people into literal boxes) and the people inside/around the buildings will feel and act the same way. The atomisation of individuals and devaluing of the community is part of what's lead us to this point in the first place.
- bobthepanda 7y ago
  The problem with legislating middle class comfort as the minimum is that it prices out poor people, since poor people can rarely afford new-build as it is. (Effectively) banning SROs in many localities did nothing to improve poor living standards, and probably made them worse since choice was now between being on the street or being in illegally subdivided SROs.
  - cameronbrown 7y ago
    I'm not talking about `middle-class comfort`, nor am I a fan of NIMBYs. Having a family home should not be middle class. To work towards that there needs to be extensive de-regulation of the housing zones. I just thing putting people in boxes will make the situation worse.
  - Dan_JiuJitsu 7y ago
    It's not a right to live in the most desirable area of the country. If you can't afford to live somewhere you desire, your options are: A: Suck it up. B: Increase the amount of money you take in in order to afford the luxury you desire.
- newnewpdro 7y ago
  You may want to reasses your perception of what many people actually want. Note container-based housing and architecture is actually growing in popularity, not diminishing. It blows my mind, but I have multiple friends regularly linking me to container-related housing projects ever since I bought land and started building cabins. I don't personally want anything to do with containers, but there's definitely a housing market for those boxes.
criddell 7y ago
When I read news like that, it doesn't really inspire any hope. When VC money is invested in something it seems like the only thing that ultimately matters is a nice exit for the VCs. Low income people needing housing is just another resource to be exploited.

cameronbrown 7y ago

Blokable prefabs look horrible. We don't need cubes/boxes to shove humans into, we need real homes. The housing shortage isn't just about a lack of shelter but about a lack of human spaces.

lazyasciiart 7y ago
I will start caring about the second one when we have solved the first, and not before.
- nmeofthestate 7y ago
  That's a great recipe for building soul-sapping places that people then have to suffer in for decades/generations.
- cameronbrown 7y ago
  I disagree. I think these concepts are fundamentally linked - the architecture around us has a significant impact on the human psyche. Make the place look shit (read: putting people into literal boxes) and the people inside/around the buildings will feel and act the same way. The atomisation of individuals and devaluing of the community is part of what's lead us to this point in the first place.
bobthepanda 7y ago
The problem with legislating middle class comfort as the minimum is that it prices out poor people, since poor people can rarely afford new-build as it is. (Effectively) banning SROs in many localities did nothing to improve poor living standards, and probably made them worse since choice was now between being on the street or being in illegally subdivided SROs.
- cameronbrown 7y ago
  I'm not talking about `middle-class comfort`, nor am I a fan of NIMBYs. Having a family home should not be middle class. To work towards that there needs to be extensive de-regulation of the housing zones. I just thing putting people in boxes will make the situation worse.
- Dan_JiuJitsu 7y ago
  It's not a right to live in the most desirable area of the country. If you can't afford to live somewhere you desire, your options are: A: Suck it up. B: Increase the amount of money you take in in order to afford the luxury you desire.
newnewpdro 7y ago
You may want to reasses your perception of what many people actually want. Note container-based housing and architecture is actually growing in popularity, not diminishing. It blows my mind, but I have multiple friends regularly linking me to container-related housing projects ever since I bought land and started building cabins. I don't personally want anything to do with containers, but there's definitely a housing market for those boxes.

criddell 7y ago

When I read news like that, it doesn't really inspire any hope. When VC money is invested in something it seems like the only thing that ultimately matters is a nice exit for the VCs. Low income people needing housing is just another resource to be exploited.