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

Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Work/live units seen as alternative to Bay Area's high rents
So how does someone end up living in an artists' loft? Often times it is cheap rent.

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

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The full list of victims of the Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, Calif. are listed here, and will be updated as more victim names are released.
KGO-TV

PHOTOS: A look inside the Oakland Ghost Ship collective warehouse

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This photo of the Ghost Ship art collective warehouse in Oakland, Calif. was posted on its website.
Photo by www.OaklandGhostShip.com

RELATED: Oakland fire helpline, information for families

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

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