Man living in plywood "pod" in SF apartment told to knock it off by housing inspector

2016-04-14T13:00:00-04:00

[Berkowitz is now] offering custom pods for sale on Craigslist for people who want to make money with AirBnB or have their own subletters. [...] The Department of Building Inspection reached out ... confirming that the pods are illegal and a violation of housing, building, and fire safety codes. [...] "He would have to completely open it up or look at something different, such as a bed with a frame, with curtains, something that was open to the room." [...] "there are fire safety realities."

You may remember Peter Berkowitz's name from the not-an-April-Fools-Day post we made a couple weeks ago, reporting on the box freelance illustrator Berkowitz had constructed to live in his friends' apartment, at $400 a month. After the news took off, he had begun testing the waters in the rest of SF's bonkers housing market to construct more of these pods and sell them to others interested in curbing their rents. After hearing from the building inspector, he told Hoodline, "I was just trying to gauge interest from people nearby ... I am not moving forward with anything I outlined in that email."

Related SF-housing news:

Box sweet box: SF man lives in wooden "pod" in friends' apartment for $400/month

2016-04-01T12:36:00-04:00

With the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment at $3,670 a month, the city’s housing crisis has pushed frugal renters to the edge of their comfort limits. From tents to trucks, the next logical step in San Francisco has taken shape — in the form of a literal box. [...] “I really don’t feel like I’ve taken a hit in terms of my quality of life,” said Berkowitz, 25. “I don’t really notice I live in the pod anymore.”

More on the extreme lengths of SF housing:

Archinect - News

Man living in plywood "pod" in SF apartment told to knock it off by housing inspector

Box sweet box: SF man lives in wooden "pod" in friends' apartment for $400/month