CALDWELL (Idaho Statesman) — Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson said he had low hopes when he heard an Idaho company was taking metal shipping containers and turning them into homes.
“My expectation when I heard about container homes is that they would look like containers that somebody had painted over and put a few amenities in,” Carson said Monday after he walked through a three-bedroom home at IndieDwell’s factory in Caldwell.
“This is completely different. This is transformative, and it looks like a small site-built home. It’s been done very well and (there’s) a lot of creativity involved here.”
Carson came to the factory at 3520 Arthur St. after walking through one of the company’s homes during an innovative-housing showcase in June on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
He joined U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo and Rep. Russ Fulcher of Idaho, Caldwell Mayor Garret Nancolas and Gerald Hunter, executive director of the Idaho Housing and Finance Association. IndieDwell co-founders Scott Flynn and Peter Gombert led the tour.
Carson said he was impressed that IndieDwell could manufacture a two-bedroom home that sells for $85,000, far less than a comparably sized site-built house made from traditional materials.
“That means someone earning about $37,000 or $36,000 could afford this,” Carson said.
Author: John Sowell
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