San Francisco residents turning to 'dorm living'

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Over the weekend New York Times reported on dorm living for professionals in San Francisco. The story highlighted the alternative to living in costly studios and one bedrooms in a city where many have been priced out. 

It's an idea by a company called Starcity, where the theme seems to be community— community living rooms, shared kitchens and even shared bathrooms.

For many living in a city that has become so unaffordable, this concept may not seem so foreign. People have been finding roommates and living in communal settings in San Francisco's Victorians and flats for generations. But it may be the price point, the fact that the building's interiors are so modern, fully furnished and the social aspects that are so attractive to this demographic. 

The company co-founder and chief executive, Jon Dishotsky joined us on KTVU's The Four, to talk about the living conditions in these dorm-style dwellings that are going up in large older buildings and in some cases, are going up in place of luxury housing. 

He says while the clientele is targeted to those who make $40,000 to $90,000 a year and that the rooms in these units rent for around $1,400 to $2,400 a month. 

Dishotsky acknowledged the Bay Area's housing crisis and said they currently have three locations in San Francisco that are live and that there are 12 more under development, which would, according to him, bring several thousand housing units to the market over the next few years. 

"We're working with the [SF] Planning Department," Dishotsky says. Starcity's bottom line question is: 'How can we provide more affordable housing for the middle class?' 

As many as 8,500 are currently on the waiting list for Starcity's dorm-style housing, according to Dishotsky. 

In addition, Dishotsky says Starcity is looking to expand into the East Bay and in Silicon Valley. 

We asked Dishotsky some follow up questions to the NYT piece. See what he had to say.