Can local zoning laws be modified to encourage people to take in boarders?
Rooming and boarding houses used to be a normal place for people to live. It was practically routine for the young and single who didn't or couldn't live with their parents. It was also a way for an empty-nester to keep her house. Cooking for her tenants can also give a retiree a sense of purpose.
Shared living arrangements keep people accustomed to interacting with others. Such arrangements might lead to disputes but, on balance, human interaction helps maintain sanity. Having others about can also save lives: a person won't die alone for lack of anyone to call 911.
As rents and mortgages rise, the need for rooming and/or boarding options increases.
Many communities limit the number of unrelated people who can dwell in a single housing unit. If residents care about solving homelessness, then they should vote or call on their local selectmen or representatives to amend such limits.
It won't solve the entire problem, but it could reduce the number of unhoused to those who really need professional or government care.
