Work/live units provide relief from Bay Area's high rents

Monday, December 5, 2016
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- So how does someone end up living in an artists' loft like the Ghost Ship warehouse? Often times it is cheap rent.

The Bay Area is an expensive place to live. The average rent in San Francisco, according to Rent Jungle, is $3,799 a month.

That pushed renters to Oakland where the costs drop by $1,001 dollars to $2,778. Still very high, so some look around for artists' spaces. In Oakland 150 square feet goes for about $400 a month, 250 square feet for around $650 -- that is for legal units.

Now those spaces generally do not allow full time living but often allow 24 hour access for working. In some spaces living and working get blurred. Not all artists' spaces are cheap, legal high end work/live units are located all over the Bay Area and can run into the millions of dollars.

One in San Francisco was listed at $6 million.

PHOTOS: Some of the victims of the tragic Oakland Ghost Ship fire



PHOTOS: A look inside the Oakland Ghost Ship collective warehouse


RELATED: Oakland fire helpline, information for families

If you are trying to locate a loved one, or need information call 510-382-3000.

Click here for all ABC7 News stories, videos, and photos from the Ghost Ship warehouse fire.
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