Creative Ideas for Affordable Housing

When you get divorced one of the most significant problems to solve is who will be living where. Even during the divorce proceedings, one or both parties may have to move.

• If you and your partner own a home together, while waiting for the divorce settlement of assets, you may have to move, and quickly.

• Maybe your name isn’t on the rental lease. Again, you may end up moving quickly.

• If your partner (and their paycheck) leaves, you may find your current living situation unaffordable. And, again, you may end up moving quickly.

So, how to find affordable housing near you is a big need. With today’s high interest rates and rental costs rising astronomically, finding affordable housing is difficult. It’s time to get creative. So, today we’re sharing our top tips for affordable housing, or creative housing alternatives you may not have considered. 

The Rise of Housing Costs

Federal interest rates hovering near 7%. Rental costs are skyrocketing. And thanks to your divorce you need affordable housing…like, now. Many divorced partners find themselves living together much longer than they planned, according to Williams Family Law reporting. Just look at the screenshot Alimonia Life nabbed off a Washington Post article on the rising costs of rent since the pandemic:

Screenshot source.

Rent costs have gone up exponentially in the past few years, and this seems to have worsened since the pandemic. Divorcees often face finding new housing that costs more…and on a lesser, divided income.

With the divorce, it seems everything is on fast forward. You may find yourself looking for affordable housing near you, and finding yourself coming up empty. And, of course, you are trying to keep in balance the needs of yourself (work, social, etc.) and if you have them – kids, pets, and all the connections there, too.

Here are our top Creative Ideas for Affordable Housing

If you’re thinking of thinking outside the box for affordable housing options, here are a few creative, alternative housing solutions to consider. Maybe one of these ideas will resonate with you or lead you in an unexpected direction.

5. Don’t Just Depend on Google to Find “Housing Near Me”

First-round searches start with Google:

• Affordable housing near me

• Cheap rent near me

• Apartments for rent near me

• How to buy a house fast

• What’s the minimum credit score I need to buy a house

We challenge you to do those searches but also take your search offline. Many renters operate in a word-of-mouth manner. Don’t be afraid to ask around at work, at the soccer field, or at church. Getting a personal referral from someone you know may be the fastest way to get in with a new landlord and get off on a good foot.

Another reason to get a “boots on the ground” type of search going is to save on the costs of dealing with rental agencies. Many online advertisements for rentals are posted by agencies that manage the rental properties, infusing another layer of cost to your rental fees. 

Rent-to-own or personal financing are also options to consider. In your search for affordable living spaces for your family, tap into your social and professional circles to see who knows someone who could have the very property you need. Perhaps they have a lot of clean-up from the previous tenant? Offer to help in the clean-up to offset the costs of a deposit.

4. Consider Cohabitating with Your Ex

Yikes. It may sound scary, but while your marriage failed, you may have a good enough working relationship with your ex to partner for a transitional living situation. There are benefits to extending your current situation with set, shared expectations carefully detailed:

• Determine who pays what and set these in writing. This can help eliminate monetary disputes and give you the certainty you need for budgeting.

• Determine living space use and how you can cohabitate for financial stability.

• This can help simplify caring for children and pets.

• Set expectations for social use of the home so neither party is exposed to potentially painful situations.

• Handle these decisions together and make sure to set boundaries to protect your space to heal from the divorce and begin laying out your own financial futures – separately.

Make sure to discuss your living situation with your legal representation. Some states, such as North Carolina, may not recognize your separation as legal if you still live with your ex-partner.

Co-Use the Home

An alternative to this living situation is to leave the children living in the home and the parents rotate out for visitation. Meaning, when it’s their time with the kids you leave and your partner shows up to stay for their time with the kids. You may be able to set up a stay with family, travel, stay with friends, or at a pay-by-the-week cheap motel, or even in a camper. While unconventional, think of the comfort and stability this could offer your children and pets who can stay in their home spaces without so much disruption.  

3. Consider Rooming with Another Single Parent

There’s probably another single parent in your town nearby who has the same worries over affordable housing keeping them up at night.

They have kids too. Maybe, close in age to your children. What if both of you combined resources and shared the same home? Charge them rent for their stay, offset by shared household responsibilities that could offer you more support. 

Shared:

• Household bills

• Cleaning

• Babysitting

• Taxi-ing children to where they need to be

• Another layer of support for all the children involved

• Potentially a friend who shares your experience 

Put out the word that you need a roomie – and then vet them thoroughly. Talk over potential conflicts and how you will solve them. Communicate (and document) expectations. Work together towards financial relief, time management, and hopefully, emotional support for all involved.

Another alternative: Rent out a room to a young person who is in school or working but not ready to pay for their own apartment or home. 

Lastly, contact your local government or private housing coalitions to find out how you can get help with housing. Some areas offer low income housing but you need to apply for these and meet a set of criteria to be approved. There may be long waiting lists to apply as soon as you can if you feel you may qualify for housing assistance.

2. Downsize & Simplify Your Living 

This may not seem like a creative option for affordable housing, but the circumstances you find yourself in may require a creative way of assessing your current lifestyle.

Think of this as rejecting societal norms for a “standard” of living. Downsizing and simplifying your living situation requires honest self-evaluation, critical analysis of small details, and open-mindedness. 

• Transition to a Mobile Home – This may be an adjustment, but it is much cheaper.
  
  

• Consider an Apartment or Duplex Rental – Cheaper, less yard work.
  
  

• Consolidate or Downsize Other Debts – Consolidate, get out from under loans, credit cards, or car payments by selling the items you can part with and paying off the balances. Downsize your car payment by trading in for a cheaper vehicle.
  
  

• Simplify your Home Life for More “Priceless” Moments – The library is free. The park is free. Simply taking a walk with your kids is free. Reduce your take-out consumption with meal planning. Get rid of subscription services. There are many ways to reduce, downsize, or free yourself from unnecessary costs.
  
  

1. Seriously Downsize – Consider Temporary Camper Life

More and more Americans are embracing a super-scaled-down form of living – camper life.

Research the laws in your area to find out if you can stay in a camper full-time. Many campgrounds rent the spaces for a year and you can save quite a bit of money doing it this way. Besides, camper life may just be the adventurous, creative solution that changes your life’s trajectory. 

What if? Think of the rotational-parent situation we mentioned earlier…might you and your ex set up a camper at a campground and both use it in your time off?

Following the pandemic as more Americans turned to remote work situations, RV sales went through the roof as Americans embraced a more scaled-down form of living. The pandemic drove sales, but many RV sellers claim the upswing was already in full swing. Americans are giving up the picket fence for a more transitional phase of living that some divorcees say has been good for their mental health. 

Living in a camper, even temporarily, may help you to take time away from your “normal” life and reassess what’s important to you. Many campers are outfitted with bunk beds for the kids, a bathroom and kitchen, a television area, and comfortable heating and air conditioning. 

Many campgrounds offer social events like dances or family game nights, swimming or playground areas, and are situated in areas conducive to outdoor exploration. Many people find these campgrounds to be homey and family-like, so the extended community of positive, adventurous fellow Americans may be that transitional support you need while you’re figuring out your family’s future.

Creative Housing Ideas Can Offer Hope

If you’re been searching unfruitfully for affordable housing near you and are feeling hopeless, we encourage you to take it day by day. Finding a new place to live can be very stressful for anyone. We hope these creative ideas for affordable housing open you up to trying something new or expanding your search in new directions. If you need support along your divorce journey, the Alimonia Life community is here for you with divorce-related topics from people who have been there.

Christina M. Ward