Author Topic: Patricia O'Grady lived for decades in New York City apartment for $28 a month  (Read 2841 times)

RelaxedGal

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https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/14/us/new-york-apartment-rent-control-actress-trnd/index.html

She moved into the apartment with 3 roommates in 1955 and they paid $16 a month then.  The place had no heat and no hot water until 2005 - she showered at the YMCA and used fireplaces for heat. Thanks to rent control and being friends with the landlord she paid only $28.43 a month when she was hit by a car and killed at age 84.

The most Mustachian part, "She didn't earn much as an actress, but she didn't need to."

Two-bedroom apartments in Greenwich Village rent for $5000.month according to the story.  The landlord is going to renovate it and finally start earning market rates.

I'm a red panda

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That's insane. How could the landlord afford to pay the taxes on the apartment? Or are those controlled to?

kelvin

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Here in Canada, an apartment without heat/hydro is straight up illegal. She would be put on a wait list for social housing and the landlord would be sued by the city.

Strange how some forms of poverty are lauded as "charming frugality".

sokoloff

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Was the landlord driving the car by any chance?

pegleglolita

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I'd seriously consider no heat or hot water to live in Greenwich Village for $28/month!  I mean...space heaters and showering at the Y seems like a fair trade-off, amirite?

jengod

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Was the landlord driving the car by any chance?

I'm not proud to admit it but I giggled.

Letj

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She may have been paying $28 but the landlord more than mad up for it with the $5,000 a month rents.