Gentrification hits a whole new low.
You might not be able to afford a condo in San Francisco’s tech-inflated real estate bubble, but what about a sewer, mailbox, or bus stop? Photographer Scot Hampton created satirical For Rent signs that show just how ridiculous the rental market in the city is.
Rent out a garden penthouse studio (also known as a street side planter) for just $7350! It’s light and airy—and exposed to the elements. A basement one-bedroom is cheaper at $3500 and it has “arched interiors” but you’ll have to live like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Requires the use of a ladder for entry.
The photo essay is a commentary about gentrification as much as it is about homelessness and the need to adapt urban space into a livable environment. While the tech industry calls the homeless “degenerates,” the population living on the streets of the city is increasing. It’s only too easy to imagine people trying to make homes in the spots Hampton shoots.