Flexible Apartments Built Off Site: A New Alternative for Affordable Housing

Abstract

As real estate prices continue to rise faster than the rate of inflation, affordable housing has become a crisis for the country’s poor and working classes. Builders and developers are not keeping up with the demand, because many find it much more profitable to rent out or sell higher-end housing. My thesis analyzes how modular building, specifically Flexible Apartments Built Off Site (FABOS), could be the solution. These modular homes will be affordable, durable, and customizable for a large range of housing that can accommodate a variety of needs for a single person or even multiple families. Results show that the best solution is a steel frame module with movable wall openings. In order to understand needs within the industry, I conducted interviews with modular construction companies, developers, landlords, and city workers. My case study revolves around Boise, Idaho, which is currently one of the fastest growing cities in the United States, as well as comparable cities to generalize the results. FABOS could be a solution for these cities in the future.