Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: What does affordable mean?

[Dahako (Dahako]

Hi Brian -
 
I read somewhere that the U.S. military is using shipping containers as  
housing in Afghanistan.  I think FEMA and the U.N have also looked  into using 
them. A huge market like that could make the manufacturers of the  containers 
more aware of the potential housing market for them. "Dwell" magazine  featured 
a 
shipping container based house recently that looked pretty good. Cost  more 
than $20K to finish though.
 
Lowe's (the home improvement chain) recently announced that they will start  
offering a kit house called the Katrina Cottage in about 30 stores in the 
states  around the Gulf of Mexico starting in November.  The small homes are 
based 
 on a design by Marianne Cusato and will be energy efficient, hurricane  
resistant, code compliant, and designed for future expansion.  Perfect for  
cohousing, in other words.
 
Ikea already offers a kit house, just not in the US yet.  
 
-Jessie Handforth Kome
Eastern Village Cohousing
Silver Spring, Maryland
"Where I just voted in the primary.  When I showed my ID, the poll  worker 
looked at my address and said, "Oh, you're from *that* building," then  burst 
into laughter when the next person who walked in turned out to be one of  my 
neighbors. Apparently we're kinda raising turn-out for the polling  station."