Palo Alto: On Bunk-Bed Shares & Bed Bugs

Palo Alto is home to some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the world and its populace is certainly not shy about showing them off.

While they may be associated with dirt and filth bed bugs do not discriminate and have been found in the nicest of homes and some of the most luxurious hotels.

The city of Palo Alto recently closed a public library for two days because of a bed bug infestation. It appears the bugs were found in two chairs at the Mitchell Park Library. Bed bugs, the city said, are not uncommon at libraries and they can sometimes be transported through the sharing of books. Bed bugs have been found at libraries in the Los Angeles, Wichita, Kan. and Islip, N.Y.

I grew up watching Dallas and Dynasty and love a salacious plot. I generally stay away from conspiracy theories because most are built upon a foundation of misinformation and sometimes insanity. And, yes, I believe Elvis is dead and has been for many years, though my biological mother may not share my opinion.

While the city sends bed bug-sniffing dogs to its other libraries I propose that we consider the possibility that the bugs were intentionally planted in an attempt to eradicate traditional brick and mortar facilities and the books they house. Everyone is fighting for scraps in the e-reader market. Perhaps a drone was deployed to perform the dirty deed.

Let’s just hope the drones (and bugs) stay away from the dozens of bunk-bed shares recently featured in City Lab’s article entitled “I’m Obsessed With San Francisco’s Bunk-Bed Craigslist Ads” by Kriston Capps. We apparently need them.

According to the article some of the advertised housing options resemble the Vinyasa Homes Project, a “co-creative housing” space where news reporters found some 30 people paying as much as $1,800 for a bunk earlier this month. If this all sounds like tech-trafficking, well, that’s kind of right, the author says. In December, the owners of two tech co-ops in SoMa, part of a larger chain called The Negev, were dinged by the city for a laundry list of habitability violations. Rents for bunk shares at various Negev properties range from $1,100 to $1,900 per month.

Even if Ashton Kutcher spearheads the construction of 2 ½ blocks of dormitories with his Shark Tank buddies it will not be enough to solve the housing shortage.

We’d like to hear what you think. Send your thoughts to info@ourblog.siliconbaypartners.com.

Source: Silicon Bay Partners, Randy Hucks, Tech Founder, Investor, and Blogger

Photo: City Lab