Slab City resident Larry Redford looks at the tiny house he's building with scrap lumber. (ALEJANDRO DAVILA PHOTO) |
SLAB CITY — When the economic meltdown hit the country, Larry Redford lost everything back in Lincoln, Ore.
“I have nothing but Social Security,” said Redford, who is 10 months from retirement age. His house went from $240,000 in value to $120,000 in a day, he said.
“One day everything that I had worked for (was) gone,” said Redford, once a construction worker and business owner, now a snowbird in Slab City.
With his life in tatters, Redford looked on the Internet for an inexpensive place to put a trailer. He found out about Slab City, he said, and two years ago he decided to see if “the horror stories were true, and they are not.”
Slab City is a place where someone who’s lost everything can come and take some time and regroup, he said.
To get back on his feet, Redford is hoping to take advantage of the “small house movement,” which emphasizes home design over size.
The house Redford has been working on for the past year is no more than 500 square feet and is made from lumber he found in the desert. “I think I got a really good design,” he said.
But the tiny house where he now lives isn’t ready, Redford said, but “soon it will be.” When that happens, the idea is to build more units and sell them, he said.
These types of homes cost about $60,000 to more than $100,000 and not necessarily with all the amenities, Redford said. His houses instead could go for $35,000 and “these things could be up in a week,” he said while pointing at his house.
And if all goes well, Redford said, he’ll set up a shop, move everything to warehouse and employ some people.
Staff Writer Alejandro Davila can be reached at 760-337-3445 or adavila@ivpressonline.com
“I have nothing but Social Security,” said Redford, who is 10 months from retirement age. His house went from $240,000 in value to $120,000 in a day, he said.
“One day everything that I had worked for (was) gone,” said Redford, once a construction worker and business owner, now a snowbird in Slab City.
With his life in tatters, Redford looked on the Internet for an inexpensive place to put a trailer. He found out about Slab City, he said, and two years ago he decided to see if “the horror stories were true, and they are not.”
Slab City is a place where someone who’s lost everything can come and take some time and regroup, he said.
To get back on his feet, Redford is hoping to take advantage of the “small house movement,” which emphasizes home design over size.
The house Redford has been working on for the past year is no more than 500 square feet and is made from lumber he found in the desert. “I think I got a really good design,” he said.
But the tiny house where he now lives isn’t ready, Redford said, but “soon it will be.” When that happens, the idea is to build more units and sell them, he said.
These types of homes cost about $60,000 to more than $100,000 and not necessarily with all the amenities, Redford said. His houses instead could go for $35,000 and “these things could be up in a week,” he said while pointing at his house.
And if all goes well, Redford said, he’ll set up a shop, move everything to warehouse and employ some people.
Staff Writer Alejandro Davila can be reached at 760-337-3445 or adavila@ivpressonline.com
