Re: What does containerized housing look like?
From: Brian Bartholomew (bbstat.ufl.edu)
Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 11:45:34 -0700 (PDT)
I have spent time in Montreal, and I've seen Habitat 67 from the
distance as scenery while driving across a bridge.  Habitat is in a
very unwalkable location, stuck out on an island away from the rest of
the city.  This is a shame because Montreal is particularly walkable.

> Orginally conceived as "affordable" rental housing [...] It also
> failed in its goal of being affordable as the building is today
> quite elite.

I don't think that follows.  The housing is considered by some to be
attractive and unique, so over 40 years the wealthy who liked it
outbid the poor.  This is the expected outcome.  If the housing were
still occupied by the poor, then it would be of a flavor only willing
to be occupied by the poor: projects and slums?  The development would
have failed to be a widely desirable housing style.

The way to make good products available to the poor is to hurry up and
sell as many as you can to the wealthy, now.  With every successful
new product the movie stars get it first and the street sweepers get
it last.  This adoption pattern is in line with human instincts and
economic behavior.  If you produce something desirable but try to
limit use to the poor with a contract or a law, it is contrary to
instinct and incentive and the plan won't work very well.

                                                        Brian

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