solarpunk memes

I've mentally played around with if it's ever possible to rent out a home you own and not be predatory. Spoiler Alert: Not really.

It sucks because there are barriers to owning a home (deposits, needing a credit score in some places) that mean many people have to rent... which makes sense on its face... until you realise that the barriers to home ownership are put in place by the government and banks and governments and banks are overrun with landlords. HMMMM.

In my ideal world every home would be on like, a rent-to-own kinda deal. Like, no deposits, just start paying your mortgage like you would your rent except you actually get to KEEP the equity you grow. Oh and also we'd have universal basic income that could cover that rentmortgage.

But I feel pretty powerless to enact that change on my own. So I've toyed with the idea of being a non-predatory landlord once I have a home I could let people stay in. Like, have a house that's not mortgaged (bought with cash) and rent it out at a low price... and then put the money that they pay me into some kinda savings account or escrow so that when they move they get it all back. Essentially letting someone live there for free because houses should be free but helping them save up for the deposit because houses still aren't free.

But part of that is still stinky to me. It's a garbage solution for a garbage world.

I dunno. I care a lot about helping people access housing-- I'm a queer person and like half of my queer friends have been unhoused for one reason or another so it's hot button for me. In reality, I'd probably set up a room above a business that I owned the building for since running a brick and mortar is a different goal of mine, and I'd kinda just let folks stay there... but that turns convoluted just like my other solution.

sorry I realise I just posted a thesis paper in response to a meme about landlords. oops.