Bottom-up urbanism solves urgent housing needs in CA vicinity
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
- When Johnny Sanphillippo wanted to upsize his 700-square-foot home in Sonoma County, California, he discovered that a legal backyard cottage would cost him close to $200,000 in permits, fees, inspections and building costs, so he chose a leaner approach. “I reverse engineered what was legal as-of-right without permits, fees, or inspections. 120 square feet, no more than 12 feet tall, no electricity or plumbing. Full stop.”
His “Slack Haven” or “The Bitter Suite” began as a $4,500 cedar shed kit from Canada. He spent another $4,500 on insulation, finishes, wood flooring and furniture. Now the “third bedroom” and backyard office space is warm in winter, cool in summer while remaining off-grid. Lighting comes in the form of a couple of 5 watt LED bulbs powered by little battery bricks designed to recharge cell phones and iPads.
Since the home is a rental space for a family of four (going on five), who work from home, he sought out other ways of growing the living space. He began by adding a deck. A pizza oven, several grills and a sink to create an outdoor kitchen next to a long table for big dinner parties. Another part of the deck with outdoor couches and movie projector/screen has become an outdoor living room. More recently, he began converting the garage into a living room (and perhaps bedroom when he adds a Murphy Bed) in an informal (i.e. permit-free) way.
Johnny charges his tenants well below the $3800/month going rate for a rental home in Graton (Sebastopol). In exchange they maintain the extensive gardens which provide most of the family’s produce in summer (and Johnny’s: he’s a frequent visitor).
Johnny sees the code work-arounds he’s created and those in his neighborhood (e.g. backyard tiny houses, fire-refugee RVs) as a reaction to the calcified zoning laws creating high rents in not just California, but increasingly, other parts of the U.S. “Somewhere along the way we went from regulating things in order to guard the public health and safety to something else entirely. ‘Maintain property values.’ ‘Preserve the character of the neighborhood.’ ‘Keep out the wrong element.’ ‘Where will everyone park?’ ‘Think of the children!’ Or just plain revenue enhancement”, he writes on his blog Granola Shotgun. “I’ve traveled all over the country to red states and blue states, small towns and big cities. The particulars are different, but the overall effect is exactly the same everywhere. Look around at all the schlock. This is what our society mandates.”
granolashotgun...
On *faircompanies: faircompanies....
To those commenting that it's a California problem, some codes/zoning may be motivated by different politics, but there’s no question that in the US minimum size requirements and restrictive zoning for apartment buildings/ADUs have been historically popular to keep out “the wrong element" (these ideas cross state lines). Just got this Johnny via email: "I bought a $15K fixer upper in a "transitional" neighborhood in Cincinnati. The rules were the same in Ohio as California: zoning, permits, all manner of bureaucratic roadblocks, fees, penalties, prohibitions of every kind... And the neighbors hated what I attempted to do. Half (the renters) said I was an evil carpetbagging gentrifier. The other half (homeowners) said I was an absentee slumlord trying to pull down property values. The difference was cost - Ohio was just cheaper, but not fundamentally different. Texas is the same."
Yes, agreed! The IBC, International Building Code, widely adopted, along with restrictive zoning requirements, have made it so difficult to build in most places. This is a real obstacle to affordability and plentitude in housing. California created their own shortage, but true, it's widespread outside the state.
“the wrong element" - a.k.a. someone who is not chained to a mortgage the rest of their life.
What bothers me is there is so much pressure for the average person to invest in their home. So they will vote for anything to make sure the value of it goes up. Even if it means causing a major housing crisis and causing a great many people to not be able to afford anything. It's supply and demand. Demand goes up due to the constant population growth and they make sure the supply of housing stays the same, shrinks or becomes financially impossible to obtain for anyone not pulling a ton of money in a year. Everyone else is then forced to pay out the nose up to 50% or more of their income to rent.
And people still keep voting for people who maintain this crippling system.
Kirsten, Agreed. Building small seems almost illegal, it is not easy to do. I do NOT see anything wrong with small affordable homes. That way you can enjoy life and dont have to worry all the time about a big mortgage payment or what happens if I lose my job, I LOSE everything. Plus small house means less cleaning, lower utility bills, lower taxes, and cheap to maintain, whats NOT to love.
When I get a little bigger and succesfull of youtube I would love for you Kirsten to come out to one of my properties and do your thing. My dream would be to create a subdivision but with all SMALL homes, under 800 square feet, nice little yard and a small garage. Ahhhh that would be nice my rules would be different, NO big homes lol just small humble dwellings, maybe something like the shire in the Lord Of The Rings.
@@MigraineCraftsman I agree with you. It seems like banks etc want us to stay in debt/ go into debt and not get out of it. I like small places also.
Your username made me smile thumbs up for you lol@@CrankyBubushka
"and I think that's the root cause of our economic problems... You're not allowed to be productive, you're only allowed to go into debt and purchase things."
BAM. Spot on, sir. Glad to see this happening elsewhere.
Politicians don't use the word citizen any more, we are consumers. Sadly most Americans embrace the title of consumer.
Your main job on this earth is to create wealth for the guys at the top. Debt ensnares you and they know it. This is an intentional ploy to the unknowing sheeple. They will get you one way or the other. They have built an entire system that ensnares you. You and future generations are the wealth creation system for them in perpetuity in the current systemic structure.
@@donnamaco1 I've been saying for years, It's just modern day Consumer Slavery. And until we as a country wake up it will continue and get worse.
@@canigetanemail more like the resources and power and capital of the oldest business (that doesn't call itself a business) in the world.
@@thesimulacre True. I've noticed the stuff on TH-cam that gets the most promotion and therefore hits is literally the stuff creating bigger consumers - esp. for women. Millions of hits for watching shopping hauls, makeup hauls. The excess and waste is so grotesque I actually want to vomit into my own mouth. Oops I just did it again!
This man has a mind that is on fire with critical thinking and creative ingenuity. I thank God that you tube gives us access to such free thinkers. Great stuff!!
exactly
Yes! Inspiring and liberating to see and listen to. Well done sir.
Agree. However, in CA, the Dems will find a way to make things more difficult.
"You're not allowed to be productive, you're only allowed to go into debt and purchase things".
That's a CHOICE. Don't be average.
I like this fellow's thinking. He doesn't hate the system, he understands it, he understands the folly included with it, and he sees how its really going the wrong direction.
It's a very good and healthy perspective to have - to understand the problem and find a solution, rather than complaining about it.
It's perfectly ok to hate this system and be outraged by our enslavement. What's not ok is the normalized apathy that keeps the system in place.
@@yeboscrebo4451 Time to burn some townhalls.
Making the best of impossible situations is a trait of intelligence
The local government in sonoma county is pretty easy to interact with. The real form of slavery is the debt that he avoided. Debt is not a California problem it's a global problem. This guy paid permits, and inspections on the work he did for the dwelling.
If you didn't learn a lot from this video, then you weren't really listening. This is one smart, creative guy, and someone I'd love to have as a neighbor. He's never at a loss for words, and his knowledge of policies is more then anyone I've listened too.
Those Murphy Beds are beautiful, and so functional. I'd love to have one of those to save space, and it also looks good.
tigergreg8 no body has this kind of land just laying around lmao do you realize how much money all this property would cost you in California holy shit
@@cakeboss1721 I used to live in Calif. before I moved to Pa.
I said the same he a fellow that knows what he's doing - not one word that wasn't informative...
@@stuwest3653 First, explain to me why you are asking me this question. I don't see how you read that into my comment.
I want to live there!! I love what you have going on here!
So I watched a video a few years ago of a guy who figured out how to live in San Francisco and buy a lot in Hawaii on a housekeepers salary. Is this that guy? If it is, he's still a genius.
I think it is.
Yes I just came from that original video. Same guy.
It's him
@@-xplorenz7002 do you have a link?
Definitely is him.
OK, this is the same dude from 6 or 7 years ago "Mortgage-free, tiny home on a housekeeper's salary".
Amazing how well he is doing on a housekeeper's salary. Better than some engineers I know in Silicon Valley. Wonder if he still has his place in Hawaii.
Johnny has a winner's mentality, not a blame-it-on-others mentality.
When the old ladies die he inherits all the money.
No, he sold it.
This is interesting, informative and sad all at the same time.
Why sad? It’s back to basics. They don’t have a TV fantastic all it does is pollute your mind. I haven’t watched TV in years. I see a community, something you don’t see much of anymore. A house is where you sleep, they have a beautiful garden a couple of kids, and affordable rent/mortgage, seems like the American dream to me.
@@victorsr6708 that you spend a fortune on a house or land and you have to spend another fortune just for the paperwork to build something. And instead of a bigger house you have to litter your yard with suboptimal sheds. Thats sad.
It doesn't seem sad to me - it's real and they're building a resilient, mutually supportive community. It's they way forward. As they say, necessity is the mother of invention and these people have been creative within their means and aren't allowing the corporate parasites to feed off them. Good luck to them.
@@victorsr6708 sad because these people are bending rules that shouldn't even exist in order to live as they are. This is a standard of living that most people cannot attain in that area, partly because of excessive regulation
86Corvus the video is a bit of an exaggeration. I’m a contractor and permit fees are about 10% of the cost. On a $200k build out that $20k and I believe he’s saying $60K. I live in San Jose Ca. right smack in the middle of one of the most expensive areas in the United States. What I tell people is to #1 don’t move here unless they are willing to pay the price. #2 if your here and can’t afford it move away to a more affordable place. My brother moved outside of Austin lives on six acres and was able to pay off his home in 15 years. It’s not sad that we have building codes because they keep people safe. We and the people in the video live in earthquake country so we need to follow building codes. They also live in a high fire danger area so agin codes are there to protect them. I don’t have a problem with what they are doing because they are right on the edge of the codes.
Born in the 50's ,here in Cali. I live in a beautiful home that overlooks the bay. My children cannot afford to live here. It breaks my heart that's there no place for the working man any more.
There is a place from them, but like this man, you have to find it. Maybe your children can't afford a 1500 sqft house overlooking the bay, or some other example of "the American Dream", but can you afford a mother-in-laws suite on your property? Can they afford a house in foreclosure? Can they afford a small plot of land? Create your opportunities. Document them. Share them and be the change you want to see.
Aaron do you have ocean veiws?
@@Aaron-vy6lb there are a lot of places in California, maybe all of California, that doesn't allow mother-in-law suites. This is something a lot of people have been trying to change. I mean if people could actually build a small one-bedroom Cottage in their backyard the size of a tiny home, it would probably solve 50% of the homeless problem. Or at least 50% of the affordable housing problem. That homeowners will not allow that type of zoning to go through. And when legislators tried to change it, Republicans went insane and told people that now they're not in command of their own neighborhood, their neighborhoods would now be filled with low income people. And they got the legislation shot down. But they're the first ones to complain about all those homeless people, aren't they?
@@heronpage3883 As of this year the city of San Diego has allowed tiny homes to be built in backyards of properties and allow the owners of the property to rent out the tiny homes. As long as the tiny home/cottage is placed a certain distance away from property lines and they contain plumbing and electricity and I think insulation, they can be built and rented out and permit fees have largely been waived. This is in response to the public pushing for small cottages and the surge of interest in tiny homes. The city is also offering to build granny flats of about $100,000 to add on to properties but the owner has to agree to rent it out for 10 years as affordable housing; that build-on option seems like it could get complicated quite quickly with tax reassessments etc. but overall it's moving in the right direction. Hopefully what we can have next is lot splitting and building permit fees slashed for building small nice cottages that can be sprinkled throughout existing neighborhoods. There is certainly a market for small homes, but developers can't seem to figure it out and are still stuck on building luxury apartments and overpriced condos. There is one builder out of Tennessee though that has a channel where he shows the step by step process and exact costs for how he builds small homes in order to provide affordable housing in his community and his little homes are selling like hotcakes.
"...you're not allowed to be productive, you're only allowed to go into debt and purchase things" SPOT ON!!! Couldn't define better. Cheers from Barcelona!
Your interview with Johnny Sanphillippo in 2012 was my first small house video! I love the way he thinks outside of the box but operates within the law. He was my inspiration then and continues to be my inspiration today! Thank you for the wonderful update with more great ideas.
Wish there was a video of when he sold his property in Hawaii.
Such a joy to see people living simply and abundantly. The house and garden look lovely.
This is one of the most interesting videos I’ve seen. Well done Kirsten! Xx
THIS was a great video! Almost a mini-documentary. Well shot, and Johnny's commentary was super informative, opinions well-informed. Loved the innovations and work-arounds. Garden was a plus, and it looked like there was room for chickens, if wanted.
I just discovered this video, and your comment says exactly what I thought of the video, so I don't need to repeat it. Big kudos to Kirsten for producing this excellent video, and kudos to Johnny for his intelligent and thoughtful analysis of the problems we are facing today with our housing crisis, even here in Virginia.
Not so certain that this owner should go public with what he's doing. Best to lay low when your doing things on the 'edge' of being legal.
why advertise? then, get pissed when the rules change?
But it's legal.
He is just surviving within his own means, nothing wrong with that
I think he feels that educating people is worth the risk. California needs to start letting people build tiny homes in their backyards like vancouver canada does. It's one good solution.
"If the world is saved, it will not be saved by old minds with new programs but by new minds with no programs at all."
- Daniel Quinn
It's sad that somebody else is making the decisions on how we live.
All this is what the dems wanted with the globalist UN agenda.
@Dragonetta I fought them once before in fact three times they hung me on a wall tell my arms popped out of socket, they handcuffed me to the back of a wide back chair till my arms popped out of socket, another time they stuck me in a car on 120 degree day and turn the heater on and left me in there for 20 minutes that's why. And I'm not fond of being a dumpster diver nor a basket pusher. Nor do I want to live in the wilderness by myself eating bugs.
@@cbones6227 try Idaho, very few building restrictions in some counties
At the end of the day when we buy a property, we are just renting from the government.
@Winning Grinn And to pay taxes .
It’s almost as if people should pay attention to local politics and vote for effective public figures to fix the problems in your local area
The problem is the people who are voting are the ones whose most extensive involvement with public life is going to Walmart once a week and making idle conversation with the likeminded individual behind them in the checkout lane. The ones who are actively contributing to society aren't given a chance to vote because they have to work on election day, because that's what the people who are voting want them to do.
An oxymoron: Effective public figures.
Now that's just crazy talk.
You are only allowed to vote on about 1% of the things government does. Don't blame the citizens.
Every state and county I've ever heard of has early voting and absentee voting, and polls are generally open for 12 hours. What kind of work do you do that would prevent you from using one of these accommodations to vote?
Love this Italian garden and covered patio area. Reminds me of my grandparent’s home in So Ca. They bought a tiny corner lot with house in the 50’s. They rebuilt it and surrounded it with hedges. They had a covered patio with simple kitchen outside. Grape vines on the gazebo. Little walkways with gardens of vegetables and flowers. Fig and lemon trees throughout the yard. We moved to another state and we can walk downtown. It’s beautiful here however, we are becoming the Silicon Valley of the south. It never ends!
That man’s shirt is crazy but his thoughts and message are such a stark contrast to it. I’m in my 30’s in Florida and could not have resonated more with what he said. We’ve forgotten about victory gardens along with efficient and beautiful home design. Why can’t we have both with all the advances? It’s like he’s a spokesperson for Dr. Zach Bush at Farmers Footprint and Graham Hill from LifeEdited. Such a great video. Thanks so much.
This was one of your best. He’s so knowledgeable and connected with the community.
Awesome Video.. yeah I use to live in California its all about permits and fee's.. now i live in Pennsylvania out in the country and I can do anything anytime and no permits or fees are required..
Jimmy Smith -ug, I’m jealous!! I’m in Santa Cruz, about to get my second permit. This one is to re-do our falling apart deck. I bet it’s beautiful where you are!
Iowa here . My tiny city just wants us to tell them so there is a record but no fees or permits needed
When I applied for a permit to build a house on a property "in the county" in Alabama, I took my laptop to the registrar's office to ask which screens they'd like for the file. The lady behind the desk asked me, "Do you own the property?" "We do" I replied. She said, "then what you build there is no business of ours".
I was too stunned to know how to respond. Glee was in my heart but I didn't want this lady to think her methodology was anything but sensible.
I cleared enough Oak trees from the 3 acre lot to get a road in and locate the house and tile field etc.. Those trees went to a local mill and came back as rough sawn boards. A Dewalt planer turned them into the mill work that finished the inside of the all concrete and brick house. It was anti-Hurricane, Termite, Seismic, Fire-resistant with a "Tornado" room inside and energy efficient, with over 150 tons of thermal mass inside the conditioned space. Blocks grouted and re-enforced, enveloped with foam panel insulation and weatherized with a brick veneer. Prairie style hipped roof with venting skylights. Airtight, masonry, wood burning fireplace.
During the 15 months it took to build that house not one inspector from the county, the bank, the Alabama Power Co. or anyone, ever set foot on the property. I could have built a missile silo. A local bank loaned me $150k that morphed into a mortgage and never once came to see what I was spending the money on. I'm a terrible electrician yet I wired almost the whole house. Good thing it all worked, because they turn the power on whenever you ask. No wiring inspection required.
@@LMBee00 damn, who hurt you?
I grew up in Ca. out of the USAF, I bought a home in Simi Valley. Long and short of it I moved to Pa. and even today all you need is an electrical 3rd person inspection, that's if you want power company supply! Im old now and remind people what it was like in ca. many yrs, ago! Beware of the government that wants to help! and when buying always get it inspected! Seems to work fine here!2hrs from Philly and 4hrs from NY city! The only big diff is winter! Fairtrade off..
Thanks for another excellent video. So many truths in what Johnny says. The fact that 60+ years ago you could make do with so much less make's it easy to pine for the old days.
Those murphy beds are genius, especially with the built-in tables...They make micro apartments doable and livable
This guy is nothing but genius and very creative in finding ways to live a comfortable life. And this community working together is something everyone should strive for. No debt, no problem. Thank you for featuring Mr. SanPhillippo. This is truly very informative.
Another good video. That landlord seems to have a good grasp of the problems, the cause of them, solutions, and the reality of those solutions happening in a timely manner. Every time I hear something about coastal California I end up shaking my head. It’s such a beautiful place and people supposedly helping are making it worse for the people they claim to want to help. It’s also becoming a wealthy persons only coast line. Sad ! 2) how this channel is not on TV yet?
This video needs to be shared by as many people as possible. We are entering an era were people are going to be sharing more resources. Live together but apart should be the motto for this way of life.
When he was talking about how you can build a compact town, but people can't wrap their minds around it, I was nodding my head YES! I visited friends in a suburb of London last August/September and there are shops at the end of almost every residential street, so easily within walking distance (for an able bodied person). Families don't have multiple cars because they don't need them. It reminded me of when I was young and there was a small grocery store in the middle of our neighborhood. My mom sent me for bread and cigarettes all the time. 😂 BUT NOW I live about 2/10 mile from a convenience store and I drive there. There are no sidewalks anyway, but in England there are sidewalks everywhere. I think we've gotten lazier as a population, and crime is another factor I guess. I'd be happy to live in a small community though!
Was just in Israel and experienced the same exact thing. It's a five minute walk to any store for necessities and groceries. Sidewalks were large for outdoor eating and the community is out in it. Very vibrant and, in spite of popular understanding, very safe. Small community doesn't have to mean dowdy. It can be very pleasant and forward thinking if the community is on board with it.
Most of Europe is like that. I've lived in Germany 2 different times. I think everyone in the usa should have to live in different countries just to see how much better life could be.
bread and cigarettes, all a human needs for survival
@@terrya1252 Life is not better in Europe.
1/5 of a mile is nothing. Cities construct sidewalks and it takes money. I live in NYC. Most people use public transit and walk on city sidewalks in their day to day life. The sidewalks are now slammed with Amazon and other deliveries. It’s beyond crazy. Cars are very expensive to park in most areas. A stacked parking spot is over $600 month and now they are selling spaces starting at $200,000 plus monthly fees. All to drive about 5 mi hr. Really crazy. A big side benefit of walking is you get extra exercise and obesity rates are generally lower than in most of the US other than areas with great climates. The average person here isn’t tiny but you don’t see as much morbid obesity which drives up healthcare costs and everything. Go into NYU drs offices on their billion dollar+ 1st Ave medical campus and you see jacked up toilets to accommodate the extra weight of patients. People are literally breaking their toilets which don’t have a base but come out of the walls. All this costs society money. We need elected reps who are willing to problem solve issues and not just protect landlords and real estate companies. The NYTimes had an article a few days ago talking about how Americans aren’t moving or selling homes so the market is tight and crazy expensive. They saw it as a bad thing - I call it modern day economic survival. I love watching these videos but the price of housing just gets higher and apts smaller. A sm 2 bedroom in Manhattan averages about 1.5 million now for about 1200 sq ft. Studio apts start at about $2200 mo or $600,000 for something barely habitable. I know we can do better. More high speed mass transit would help. We need it in the metro to go almost to Vermont. There are 22 million full time residents in the metro area.
Isn’t this the guy who built the garage in Hawaii? I love that episode.
Yes
That is still my favorite tiny home video.
Wonderfull home, but I'm jealous of that garden!
Way to be creative & law abiding. Being compassionate to the land, family & neighbors. We ALL need to be more forward thinking like this. I truly admire you & your ideas. Keep on doing those right things...God will bless you.
I've been a residential builder / remodeler here in Cali for over 25 years and the crap we have to deal with is insane ! I could seriously pass a bar exam with the amount of crap i've had to deal with ! If you plan on doing anything to your residence, 1st make sure your neighbors are level headed like minded people or get to know them very well prior to doing anything as simple as planting a tree.
None of their reasoning or explanations would get past inspection in LA. But love the outdoor sink and pizza oven, and the grapevine cooling the deck. Great grasp of the housing history.
Why do you think so? Have you had a bad experience in a similar situation?
LA is the land of ADUs .There are likely tens of thousands of ADUs in LA . It all depends on what part of LA . The more White , wealthy and left the lower the tolerance. That’s not always true but a good rule of thumb.
I have designed about 6000 projects, mostly on the west coast. My opinion is that municipal planning/zoning departments have significantly contributed to high housing prices, and had a negative impact on the enjoyment of private property.
@@anthonylemkendorf3114 What is an ADU?
He is overdramatising it a bit, pretty good at creative strategies but learning how to deal with the county goes a long way. If you're familiar with the area this is the hippie nest of the bay area.
7000 houses took a couple weeks to burn...
Yep, this is the way we live in CA. We have learn to go around all the rules and regulations.
Band together and vote the politicians out.
Many times I have try but people keep voting without thinking. In CA it is impossible. I been let down so many times. I am done. I prefer to focus on what I can change 😬. Be happy and live life
...but they are YOUR rules and regulations, America!
Californians elect fascists.... then complain about the fascist rules “imposed on them by the mean government.”
Voting is rigged. Have you ever known a politician to do what they promised to do when they ran for election?? The whole system is broke.
Isn't this the same fellow who built the "garage" home in Hawaii and didn't build the "main house" to enable him to live in a smaller space for less? He's brilliant.
Can't get an actual residence permit like that.
It's true that in most cities you can't do what you want on your own property. There are zoning laws, expensive permits and more restrictions. This is the land of the free?
You would people to get « creative « with your food, health, building standards, car repair...
We have codes because we have expectations as a society.
No
Kudos to one that appreciates history, observes the trends, and gets creative to meet needs in a down-grading society. Great piece. Thank you Kirsten!
Was he joking about the permits and fees adding up to 60K? Why so expensive?!! I'm definitely not building a new home in CA.
Sonoma County is extraordinarily expensive to build in. Here are the estimates from the county. 40-50k in permits and fees for a moderate sized home sonomacounty.ca.gov/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=2147548840
This is one of the most interesting communities that I've seen in a long time. Reminds me of my childhood. All the neighbors getting together having a potluck, feeling like family, that includes the landlord. Just AWSOME. My mom would have loved it here.😇
I happen to be a lawyer, currently writing a phd on how our (sometimes very complex) legal framework hinders urban development. I am tremendously enthousiastic and happy to see people like this who still try to work within the confines of this legal framework, and even succeed at it. Amazing! Guys, shoot me a private message and maybe we can brainstorm on this together sometime? Would love to see if we could help each other in some way or another. Best, Sander
People HATE lawyers. Maybe your a lefty too.
@Element Air you must be a lawyer too. lol
you are the weirdo!
@Element Air At least he has a mind.
. Who would want a lawyer to frame their house? LOl. Lefty logic
This. Everything in this video. Thanks Kirsten. Mr. S, explains it so well. "We all love gentrification.. Unless you're not yet a landowner :-) ". We, Mr and Mrs Everyman, are mostly blind to our own complicity in these systems. He uses the beautiful term 'accretion' to describe how they got there. Its perfect. We can't imagine how 'one little rule' could do anything but fix our problem. Dan Arielly writes well on how we justify incongruity and behave with practical irrationality, I hope his type of insights might give us an alternative future, from the one Mr. S so rightly sees us heading toward. Its astonishing to think that often our greatest hindrance is ourselves and yet we stand utterly helpless to overcome it.
I saw a video where a guy wanted to build a 6 story condo building in SF.
He did all the permits and environmental reports at a cost of $1.2 M.
He passed all Govt votes and had one to go. The Co Supervisors.
They voted him down because his new building would cast a shadow
On an elementary school play ground. The mayor of SF is on video
Screaming how we need more housing. She voted no on the mans
Condo building. The next day he sued the city. The next day they voted
Again and he got his condo building with 76 units
Loves this man mentality at building homes, we need more men like him in the system so all the silly bureaucracy can come too a halt. Well Done!
The problem in CA is that the "Powers The Be" don't like people spread out. They despise suburbs (urban sprawl) and hate rural living. To them, the ideal situation would be tinyhouse government condos stacked to 20 stories. People could live there, share common transportation, play in public parks, partake in public entertainments. Everything a family did would require an application and a fee. They are 100% in favor of collectivist, dependent living, with as little independence and self-sufficiency as possible.
There's nothing independent, local nor self-sufficient about suburbs and rural living nowadays. Most people who live this way rely heavily on petrol to sustain their lifestyle. Given that nobody can live in their actual own independent and self-sufficient comfortable bubble, and that we instead depend on each other and have to live together, why not accept it and design lifestyles that facilitate this interdependence, rather than incentivize petrol-based inefficient lifestyles?
I'm not sure where you are, but California is nothing but sprawl. Especially, Southern California. It's one endless city. Not to mention California has the worst public transportation in the world. There's nothing collectivist about California.
@@pthomasgarcia Google Earth Satellite View is your friend. Get some elevation and look down.
@MrBadabimBadabum California is communist? I lived in CA for 25 years before leaving. It's one of the most capitalist, consumerist, dog-eat-dog, states on the face of the planet. Those who have the most money benefit and god help you if have the misfortune of being poor. BTW San Francisco''s "low-income" threshold is $117,000 year! A state where a six-figure income is considered poor is the furthest thing from communist there is. As a state, California is the center of the tech, gaming, and entertainment industries. That's not communism.
@@DBoyTommie but who makes all the capitalist crap plastic stuff over the ocean ? Don't you see it's spilling across ?
Did he say that unlivable house sold cash for $500,000?!
What a bargain!
Just because it's unlivable for you with your McMansion doesn't mean it's unlivable for everyone. Different strokes for different folks.
Many of these places are ridiculous. Worst one I remember seeing in a video was in Boston. Someone spent $180K on a property. It was a parking space.
yup....and I did a OMG! when I heard it too. The house I live in was originally sold for 14k and would now fetch half a million. Same house, the roof was replaced, the plumbing was replaced, the windows have been replaced...but it's the same house it was 64 years ago when it was built. The difference is that the town I live in had about 50 thousand people in it when I was born (I live in the house where I was born) and now it has about 400 thousand.
@@obsoleteoptics I agree - i bought a double-wide "unlivable" trailer - was only twenty years old. only paid 30k. still living in it!
I absolutely love that shared covered decking! Along with the garden, it provides a delightful way of creating good community bonding. People have always made friends over food.
It wouldn't work here in Canada because of our plunging winter temps, but has anyone considered adding a canvas roofed and walled addition to the little shed that could house a composting toilet and "hose/showerhead/bucket" hygiene arrangement? I am one of those folks who need to run to the bathroom every couple of hours through the night, so the thought of a bedroom separated from bathroom facilities just makes my innards cringe.
This mad pricing of land and housing is going to come back and bite the "powers that be" in the behind. Folks are going to snap out of it, pull up stakes and move as a community to other states where they can buy affordable land, put in nice small homes, and plant community gardens with shared cooking facilities. I know that California carries the mystique of being the most fabulous place to live, but THAT dream has been stomped to death. It's time to move.
The Murphy beds are beautiful! They aren't just necessary and functional, this company makes them into eye candy!
"Burden them with your zucchini all year long" I would love to be your neighbor!
I LOVE IT !! Good for you all ! You have every right to do what you want with your property and what you did is soooo inspiring . I'm inspired so thank you
Excellent! Not only documents his project but provides historical and cultural information that is interestingly presented.Very enjoyable.
I can't believe the extent citizens have to go to just to live !!...
I know right? i would be scared to have that big bucket of water outdoors, for fear of the authorities
Douglas Landfield - Well it's not actually liberalism. It's a socialist takeover. They want to make everything as miserable as possible to get you dependent on their government so that they can manipulate you. We Californians can fight and struggle but it's just beating a dead horse, really. It's getting worse and, soon, it will be unsustainable and we will *have* to move elsewhere. But not all of us voted for the socialists. In fact, our current governor - and I believe this with all of my heart - was simply "placed" into position. He ran against John Cox, who wanted to cut regulations and make housing more affordable. He campaigned hard but Newsom didn't campaign at all, really. His aunt is Nancy Pelosi. He was "placed" into position because she lives here and she needs the power. We're pretty much hostages.
Great Video,i live in Sonoma CA and prices are ridiculously high.But as long as someone will pay the high price,the prices of home will keep going up.I am blessed to being single,and living in a Mobile Home park where the space rent is cheap.I am blessed everyday to be able to live here.
That was really cool to get to see his whole neighborhood and learn the history around it. I really like all the outdoor living space they created! Here in Utah we have a good 6-7 months of winter so it wouldn't be as utilized here, but I don't plan on staying here forever.
I'm in Utah too. I am so tired of winters and having to drive in it to get to work.
Kirsten, been off and on watching your channel. This program I think has really given me a great deal of energy. Johnny is a very reasonable but very accomplished voice for this entire movement. Thanks for all the videos (really enjoyed the episodes in Greece). Very enjoyable education in transformative architecture.
I love small, affordable homes, and there's no love lost between the building officials and me... All these housing problems lead to building little garden sheds, playhouses, that lead to what will, eventually increase the rules. As we return to the rich getting richer, and the poor getting poorer, finding shelter becomes, any old port in a storm, which leads to tar paper shacks, etc. We've ignored the homeless problem so long that we look past it, thinking those poor people, or mentally ill, or worse yet, lazy and dirty. Now, it's affecting more 'ordinary' people. Didn't we just go through all this in the 1930s? Do we never learn? Don't complain when your neighborhood has people living in the back yard in sheds.
You remind of the guy that went to Hawaii. He got permits to build a house, but only built & lived in the garage. Very cheap living.
You're very creative and I love it.
This is the same guy.
If you look at history, many families had a 100 square feet house to live in and they raised a family of multiple children. We do not need a 4,000 square feet house to have a "home." My house is 14 feet by 38 feet, of World War Two vintage. I paid $26,500 for my house in 2001, the next cheapest house I looked at was $89,000 and it had major fire damage. I spent about $10,000 for stucco siding, new electrical panel, kitchen renovation, installing a better wood stove for heating, and bathroom upgrading; over an 18 year period. The renovation is still going on, with the passing of time. The 500-1000 square feet houses around my house are being torn down and replaced with $250,000 - $5000,000 dollar houses. While the original house and lot were going for $40,000 - $60,000. These homes usually need renovation, which if you do your own work adds $15,000 - $25,000 to the total cost. Which is still a great deal. One of the main problems I see is that house buyers do not know how to watch youtube videos on how to do specific renovation projects; I just found how to remove old glued on linoleum using a wallpaper steamer. What is nice about small houses that you renovate, is that you can buy the empty lot next to your house for $29,000 (amount owed), and pay cash.
Let it shine, Tom.
It's that your wiener dog? Looks a lot like my little girl. Extra cute.
The last 2ish minutes of this video are pure gold! Johnny's comments about some of the issues with today's economy were spot on!
$60k just for permits! How does this quality as "a government of the people, by the people and for the people"?
This kind of video give me hope for the future. Change comes from the base. I love how they gather together for meals and activities. That makes for a satisfying life, their kids are lucky. I feel the sense of community. Li like how they explain that they don't save a lot of money with gardening but they do save a bit. And at least they know where their food comes from and they have the pleasure to share it.
Just imagine what we could do if the government got out of our business.
Brilliant Episode. Thank you Kirsten and Johnny!
I would love a tiny place like that..
I love this guy. Great way of solving a problem by working around the endless and unnecessary regulations. Until they add more regulations making even this expensive to do by requiring permits.
Even completely run down homes are super expensive to purchase here in CA. It's INSANE!! Great investment opportunity for those with a lot of money.
you should be able to do this with some cheap land purchased in spain..obviously rain water storage would be essential if growing crops
What an absolutely charming, intelligent, thoughtful guy!!!! Amazing what he has accomplished!
He is Granola Shotgun?? A most excellent blog.
Fascinating video, thank you.
I love this whole concept. Thank you Kirsten for this share 🤗 💃 👍
This is one of the reasons why folks are taking to vehicles. 120 square feet of shed or 120 square feet of school bus....no permits for school busses, or rv’s, or bread trucks. People who are willing to see things differently never get stuck.
What makes Johnny a winner is his attitude. While there are no "permits" needed for a vehicle, you do need a DMV license for a rolling home in CA. My son built a bread-truck tiny home, and it needed all they systems that a regular RV needed in order to get licensed.
After enjoying his blog for so long it's great to see a video of Johnny.
Great ideas, great back yard. The Murphy beds were very nice too.
This is a perfect example of less is more. Less house to maintain, more time spent with family and friends. Imagine a community where u know the majority of your neighbors on a first name basis and can walk to the factory where your bed is made. Excellent video! 👍🏽👍🏽
Unless tenants that are working online have a specific need to be in that area of CA I can't see the reason to stay. For $2800-3800 per month there are so many other great locations around the US and most likely even in CA where they could live and save towards purchasing. Prices for homes has increased beyond reason to purchase in many urban areas but there are still plenty of smaller cities where it is very affordable. Smaller cities throughout the US have seen what is attracting people to big cities and are/have adopting some of the same things, downtown revitalization etc. prices have risen but with some hunting good deals are out there.
Pretty soon these inner cities might become like the ghost cities of china. For speculation purposes only.
They cannot fathom life outside their prison. Just look at the comment from Army of Gog. Anything not in California is "the middle of nowhere that lacks employment". They are truly beyond help and completely brainwashed.
That's a crazy amount of money. I pay $800/mo for my mortgage, inclusive of taxes and insurance. I have 5.5 acres and a nearly 1800 sf, 2-story house, plus a large detached garage (bigger than a 2 car garage, although there's only a door for one). It's 5 miles to the little nearby town (gas stations, small grocery store, Dollar General, fast food, Mexican restaurants), 25 minutes to a small city (more restaurants and fast food, Wal-Mart, regular grocery stores, Lowe's, Home Depot, small mall, etc.) and 45 minutes to the big city where I work (everything you need, including a big regional mall next to my office building). Bonus: no building permits necessary in my county.
Seriously, how perfect is California's weather? Because that and the scenery/beach is all I ever hear people talk about as making it worthwhile to live there. Sounds like you're getting a whole lot less and paying $2000-$3000 a month just for the weather and scenery.
Thank you for showing these ideas. Thank you Johnny, you are so well spoken and your ideas are so helpful.
This should be his next book, “Under the Radar the art of Living”.
What "next book"? When did he write a book???
OMG no one can imagine how much I love your work. Interesting, full of inventions, alternative ideas , deep thoughts , neutral and beatifuly presented. Thank you so much - again. I`m fan
If he rents this house out then where does he live? I thought that was his wife and kids!
Wow, thanks for the tips. I would like to do something like this in the future. Gotta love this guy for finding solutions without breaking the laws. I watched a video back in 2012, where he bought a property and built a small house in Hawaii, fully paid off from his housekeeping job! This was the end screen thumbnail. I am glad I clicked it. I am saving both to my TINY HOUSE LIVING playlist.
Johnny talking about how regulations can't be pulled back is simply not true. People need to vote in people who will make sensible changes to the regulations. But sadly, people here in CA keep voting for the same people who do nothing but put more more and more regulations in place to further increase the housing crisis. Some people get so fed up with the crisis they move to another state and then begin to vote for the same type of people who will put in the same crippling legislation there. California can be saved if you put the right people in charge.
Chris Babbitt right. It's not a population problem, it's a policy problem.
the biggest problem is uninformed voters that believe the lies of the politicians. For example, the idiots that voted against repeal of the gas tax.
So true... Washington has been subverted by idiotic Marxist ideologues. Everything should be fair, but we have no fucking idea how to do it.... how about more codes?! How about more unconstitutional/dystopic legislation?! That'll fix it.
Meanwhile there is an "official" homeless population of over HALF A MILLION on the west coast, actual count is probably closer to 1 million or higher. ~Richest country in the world~
@@socore3197 I hear you. This whole "you must be this tall to ride" the home ownership train is catastrophic. People are spending half or more of their income after taxes on just the rent alone.
There should be clean quality places to live that does not go for more than 25% of someone's income after taxes. And this should mean having to find 4-5 other people to share a house.
And most importantly, this should be possible without assistance funding from the state or government.
Chris Babbitt right. I saw another one of Kirsten's videos of people in CA living in a van. Apparently it's so popular that they need to have signs posted about vehicles not being over a certain height and length parked in parking lots. Housing is so ridiculous people are moving into vans and looking for parking lots to sleep in. Maybe they should create more parking lots for the people living in vans?? Lol
We've been watching the channel for years! Thanks for all you do and share with us all, it's dope!
Here in Sonoma county we will need to address the strict codes it has if we want to maintain a workforce to support its wine industry, house the construction workers doing the fire rebuilding and support those keeping the richest that live here fed and clean.
@Pippi Elvesse Bernstein I take it you've never spent the whole night picking grapes? I have, and can state for a fact that nobody that you would considered "sidenlinded" could last half a night doing that work. My point was we ALL need a place to live.
In 1980 we had help from family buying land in northern Ca. and actually building our own modest home, we did pottery for a living and some how my husband got through a really tough time it was hard on his body. Again family pitched in and we finally had a finaled house to code at the time. Flash forward to 2022, about forty years, we almost sold because we could not get insurance after the Paradise fire, plus 7 years ago we had the Butte Mountain fire. We were devasted and no place to turn. Finally we were insured through military service in Vietam War, the thing we hated most in life has afforded us the ability to stay here. We love it here and have done many of the ideas that were used in this article. lots of beautiful decking, a very cute shed for extra space and a shed for work space for my husband, even installed a cowboy pool where the old hot tub was, gardens every where trees planted for shade and cooling, still no AC we never needed till these pass few years. We closed our large gallery paid our family and builtd a great life. We no longer do pottery from home, the neighorhood has filled up and its better to switch then worry. Still work from home doing metal garden art, selling through a shop in town and Etsy site, I do some art work for my daughters graphic company, garden, cook and take care of the home. We builtd our life small so we could do what we wanted to for ourselves and now we have no debt and a few dollars in the bank. We dont know what is coming our way am guessing we will deal with the cards that are dealt us. We are in our mid 70s and extremely healthy, that is the real difference i see in our peers and family, they are are suffering terrible health, I believe lifestyle has made the difference Our house is worth so much now, and we still can not afford to move, and keep this lifestyle. Its crazy and I know people cannot afford these home prices. It is a tough deal for young people. I too have seen high prices every where and weather conditons that make we want to just stay right where I am.
I remember him in your channel, he was in your channel years ago, that he showed us his small house in Hawaii. What happened to that house, he sold it and started a family in CA instead? I still remember how much I love his small house in Hawaii.
He sold the Hawaii house. He is the landlord of this house, but is great friends with the family and spends a lot of time there.
I remember him and his house in Hawaii. He was very creative in getting around the regulations there when he built his house.
@@kirstendirksen I also remember him from one of your shows years ago living in hawaii in that very nice garage that he had build and turned into a beautiful house. If i remember correctly, he left california before to get away from all these high rents, taxes, housing prices, zoning laws etc to live a more affordable, peaceful, less restricted life in beautiful hawaii . What happened?? He was right down the street from the beach for crying out loud. He planned that move to hawaii for yearrrrssss ! He saved every penny he haaaaad ! Now its starting to all come back to me. I remember he was a house keeper or something like that in northern california and all he did was talk about leaving california because it was to expensive and move to hawaii ! And then he turns around and sells the beautiful house that he had built from the ground up and moves BACK to northern california? Really ??? I thought the whole point of the move to hawaii was to get OUT of california ? So you leave what some may call paradise to come back and live in what more than some would call Hell?? Im gonna have to think about that one. Somebody might wanna tell him that since hes been gone california has not gotten any better, infact its gotten worse ! Sorry kristen, i love your videos and i watch them all the time and i also loved the video that you did with him in hawaii but to go through all of that planning to build that beautiful house in hawaii , down the street from the beach so you can live a better life by escaping california and the turn around and . . . . . . and . . . . . .Sell It . . . . too . . . . . . too .. . . . . Move Back ?? Yeaaaa . . . . Ummmmm, Okay.
@@kodiakbear3519 He built that as a retirement home. At the time he didn't live there full time. I can only assume his plans changed. He seems happy and he's helping others so more power to him wherever he wants to live.
I just love this Kristen! Thank you for filming and posting this. Looks like the "good ole days" when we could ride bikes down the road and not worry much. Love the community they've created! Intelligent man.
California where they regulate how you breathe, yet the city, county, state, never fix any of their own infrastructure. No new roads, crappiest highways in the entire nation, pollution, its nasty out here. The only new technology that you can find are fancier and fancier parking meters and perhaps hybrid or electric parking enforcement vehicles. 60,000 (the price of many houses in the midwest and east) is what is needed for a PERMIT, its beyond rediculous and no way to live. Good on the homeowner, and Kristen for highlighting it. I DO FEAR that if this video gets out California WILL close these loopholes for future residents who want to do the same. My advise is if you can get away with it, and have the money, and intend to stay, and hopefully will be granted a grandfather clause and not have them legally yanked out by the state, is to build these types of features on your propery NOW and not wait for these opportunities to be gone. This state is as greedy as it comes and the tax money from this state is grosely mismanaged. If its one thing those who rob others hate most, its having one get over on them. Its a very brave and hopeful thing to post, but I see the state coming to harasss this family if this video gets too popular.
I love these mini documentaries on my home county. West County does come with its challenges but it's still an amazing place with so many beautiful and creative people.
I live in northwest Iowa but I have family in Southern California. After watching this it sure explains to me better that they have why they have told me if I could magically make my 4 bedroom house appear out there I could sell it for a freakin fortune. I have visited the west coast many times in different parts but there is no way I could ever live there.
Randy S love my cheap Iowa house!
@@ElinWinblad Oh I know me too, the part od Los Angeles they live it was all sparsely populated in and very fancy expensive homes. Way out on the east side, almost outside with beautiful views. No its expensive fancy houses that are butted up against each other and you need a boom truck to get you high enough in the air to get you anywhere near a view, no thanks.
Smart man who is a fine example of "thinking outside of the box". Brilliant. Great video Kirsten, thank you for posting it. Bookmarked.
This is what we have to do.
This.
It's on us - the regular citizens.
Gubmint isn't going to solve any problems.
Jennifer Grove regular citizens ARE the government.
@@ElinWinblad
That is how it was supposed to be and what we are taught to aspire to, but such has long since ceased to be.
Alas...
Jennifer Grove only because no one will revolt. Everyone is docile
I have watched multiple revolutions and participated in a few. But something happens when people do this that makes it fail.
The gubmint smashes them.
If calling it "The Government" doesn't work, I'll call it TPTB. The Powers That Be.
I'm no slacker nor apathetic. But I know better than to believe that fighting them is going to get us what we need. We simply have to out-perform them and make them obsolete.
I did a similar thing here in WA, I needed office space and it was too expensive to add on to my house so I had a shed built in the backyard and turned that into my office. It is fully insulated and finished like my home is and it has electricity with heat pump and air. It is less then 200 sq ft so no permit was needed. You got to look for alternatives to cut the red tape and cost.
Super sad but glad your thinking out the box
Consider the price it would cost that's not much rules and regulations and permits are out of control I once wanted to add on a house I owned when they got done with me I said I might as well go in debt on another house he stated how much it would cost all I can say is somebody else is getting paid and it's not me LOL
Dude you are the man using nature to help you and your family live a better and more fruitful life, and you’ve hit it on the head all the regulations and fees and taxes in California are forcing thousands of Californians to flee to other states you rock stay free
California's housing crisis is due to the insane fess and permits you need to get just to have a dwelling. It infuriates me that things have come to this. They are the ones making the problems.
The property taxes themselves are out of control too. Even if permits were cheap, you'd just be trapping yourself.
@@neptronix California property taxes are actually quite low. The problem is the permit fees.
@@user-tx2dc3vm7m Well, my family in CA is paying in property tax what i pay for rent monthly elsewhere so the idea that property taxes are quite low is a joke to me, lol.
@@neptronix Property tax RATES are low in California. It's so important for people to understand what percentages/rates are, without knowing what rate is it is hard for people to understand much about money and numbers in general. Your family doesn't pay a lot in taxes because the tax rate is high, they pay a lot because the value of their home is high. Not all homes in California have high values and the homes with lower values have lower taxes because property tax is set by rate. Texas has a higher tax rates than California. If your family owned their same house in Texas and it was worth the same amount in Texas, they would be paying even more than what they pay now because Texas has a higher tax rate than California. Peace.
@@user-tx2dc3vm7m I completely understand that. But their house is overpriced to an extreme.. so this makes all their taxes so much higher.
Not sure if mentioned but his blog granola shotgun is great.
Stoked to see a collaboration between two of my faves and even more stoked how awesome this episode turned out. Love both your work.
This guy really speaks for the way a lot of people who feel the same and wish that once you purchase your home you should not have all the rules so we cannot fulfille our dreams of even changing the color of the exterior of our homes if you live in HOA Association. And they keep adding more regulations almost every year. I would move if my husband was in better health. I love how he creating things that make a difference in his community.👍
HOAs just restrict design and colors to be reasonable and maintain value for all.
Nicholas Littlejohn yes I understand that but I don’t like how they are all tan color with a dark trim. If I could paint mine white and a similar trim I would love to be able to do it. I do understand the Principles behind the H O A I just don’t like it. In regards to painting when I do know that some people would paint funny colors that would not be acceptable in our community.
This guy seems so at peace. I love his attitude about life.
They should get rid of the zoning law that says for every dwelling unit you build, you have to build 1 or 2 parking spaces. I think it's one of the BIGGEST costs to developers. I'm working on an affordable housing project, 71 units, and basically the first 2 floors are solely dedicated to car parking. Floors that could have gone towards 20 more units for families.
I usually zone out when someone talks a lot, but I really enjoyed listening to everything he had to say! It was very informative and interesting. Thank you 😊
Whenever I watch these videos I'm reminded of how I don't want my country to be like this anymore. I want more freedom and independence. The nanny state sucks.
Americans: When Bernie Sanders talks about how amazing Sweden is, this is what you'll get. You'll get California, and not in the good way.
Mindblowing. I crave this kind of people in my life.