Why boardinghouses could make a comeback
Jun 02, 2026•9 min
Episode description
There is a burgeoning effort across the U.S. to revive boardinghouses, aka single room occupancy units or SROs, as a solution to the housing crisis. But what happened to them in the first place? We track the disappearance of the first rung of the housing ladder.
Fact-checking by Vito Emanuel.
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Fact-checking by Vito Emanuel.
Your Next Listen
— How to build abundantly
Connect with The Indicator
— Sign up for The Indicator’s brand new newsletter
— Find our socials, YouTube and more!
— For sponsor-free episodes, subscribe to NPR+
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
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