When MTV’s “The Real World: San Francisco” debuted in 1994, the idea of seven strangers living in a fully furnished, decked-out house to see what happens “when people stop being polite, and start getting real” was a perfect recipe for entertainment. Now, with the rise of “co-living,” that same formula is just life in the Bay Area.
Communal living is nothing new, but it has been getting a “Real World”-style makeover in places like San Francisco that have lots of young workers and a wallet-crushing cost of living.
Startup companies dedicated to co-living tout their sleekly designed homes and buildings, where monthly rent for a single room typically includes Wi-Fi, cleaning service, stocked amenities, access to a high-end kitchen and other Instagram-worthy common areas outfitted with modern furnishings, plus LED TVs with Netflix.
With all that, it may not feel so bad to share a bathroom with strangers. Or does it?
We want to know what it’s really like to live in a co-living space and are hoping you can help us tell this Bay Area story. If this describes your housing situation, or that of a friend, let us know in the form below.
What’s this for? KQED will be filming a short docuseries episode on co-living as part of our California Dream coverage. So share your story, and you might become a part of our reporting.