A California “home” for rent is shining a light on the US housing crisis – and evoking Harry Potter’s living situation.
For $250 a month, an online ad is offering the opportunity to reside in a 3ft by 10ft cubby located under the stairs of a one-bedroom apartment in downtown San Jose.
“Fits a cot perfectly,” says the Cragislist ad for the living space.
The room under the stairs resembles the one temporarily inhabited by the titular character of the fictional magical world depicted in the Harry Potter book series by JK Rowling.
Its appearance on the rental market illustrates the rising cost of living confronting Americans. A 2024 report by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University found that – as of 2022 – a record half of US renters paid more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. And half of those people paid more than 50% of their income on rent and utilities.
The average cost of rent for an apartment in San Jose is $3,132 – 53% higher than the national average, according to data on Zillow. So while far from ideal for most people, the room under the stairs is decidedly a bargain.
The pros for the listing include air conditioning and heat, cost of utilities, and gated parking. The cons as mentioned in the ad are chores, cleaning and being “kind of in the ghetto”.
“I want to rent it out to a nice nerdy gamer, don’t care if male or female,” the ad says.
The landlord requires the future tenant not to have pets, addictions or a criminal record, according to the ad.
Notably, California law prohibits landlords from having a policy denying rentals to people with a criminal record because of that record.
