Stroke of genius or pitch of desperation? Bay Area man rents out carport, van to avoid high rent

Ingenuity often comes in moments of uneasiness and scarcity. The ability to recreate on the fly and supplant trepidation with triumph are undervalued character traits in today’s quick-fix society.

So, when a San Francisco Bay Area man was forced to contend with an exorbitant and outrageous spike in rent, he abandoned his scruples and found a well-timed solution. Already facing one of the higher costs of living in the nation, the man was dumbfounded to discover his landlord had capriciously raised his rent by 50 percent. His solution? He decided to rent out his carport in cavalier defiance of his landlord’s greediness.

Subletting a carport???

Taking to Craig’s List, the thrifty San Jose resident advertised a sublease for his home’s attached carport. To sweeten the deal, he even threw in a van and futon. For only $400 a month, a Bay Area resident can rent the lovely carport abode and complementary station wagon to sleep-in.

While his creativity should be rewarded in circumventing his landlord’s opportunistic nature, there are some obvious drawbacks with living in a carport. For starters, a carport is typically bereft of insulation, electricity and other necessary amenities.

“There’s no weather proofing. There’s no heat, and there’s no sanitary facilities – no running water,” Code Enforcement Manager Oscar Carrillo said. “So, these are all inherently dangerous situations.”

While his plan was lacking in execution, we commend this future Bay Area real estate tycoon for his creative bent. Re-purposing a carport is not entirely unheard of either. While we would never recommend anyone squatting or taking up residence in one of quality engineered metal structures, it is proof that these metal shelters can be used for just about anything.

Endless uses for carports

Aside from the depressing reality of makeshift housing, our carports have been long considered for more up-beat and creative endeavors. Many of our residents have opted to outfit their customizable units with side paneling to shield the interior of the carport from damaging UV rays and summer heat. The result is an impromptu play area for children during summer breaks and are even used as enclaves for weekend yard sales.

The beauty of our highly engineered carports, garages and metal buildings is that you don’t have to delineate their specific uses. Only your imagination controls the boundaries of your creativity in utilizing your carport. Our customized carports can fit any lifestyle and budget, as financing options are available for a small deposit.

Online builder entices the creative mind

To spur your creativity, we also recommend checking out our online catalog and shop-by photo option. From there, you can customize your carport using our online builder. This interactive feature allows you to change the size and options, such as windows and doors, for steel metal structures.