Exclusive: most renters surveyed by Harris Poll say the areas they live in have become so unaffordable they are ‘barely livable’
The poll, conducted by the Harris Poll Thought Leadership and Future Practice, asked survey takers to identify themselves as renters or homeowners, along with other demographic information. Those polled were asked their opinion on home ownership in the United States. For many, especially renters, the outlook is bleak.
Though the vast majority of renters polled said they want to own a home in the future, 61% said they are worried they will never be able to. A similar percentage believe no matter how hard they work, they’ll never be able to afford a home.
“When you think about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, and housing is right at that foundational level of security, the implications on consumer psyche when things feel so unaffordable is something that will impact everyone,” said Libby Rodney, chief strategy officer at Harris Poll. The American dream of owning a home “is looking more like a daydream for renters”.
My mother did this. Used her disability backpay to finance a little double-wide trailer, and the plot it’s placed on is like $150 a year plus utilities. Yes she lives in a trailer park, with all the associated things that come with that, but her monthly expenses are basically nothing and she owns the building under her own name.
The real trouble with trailer parks is when they get bought up by a REIT or something and the residents get forced out (and lose their trailers too, because they’re too flimsy and worthless to move again after they’ve been sitting in place for a few decades).
Tailer parks are still renting
Don’t get it confused just cuz u own a trailer