Low-cost micro-units, often called single-room occupancies, or SROs, were once a reliable form of housing for the poor and for newcomers in many U.S. cities. Over the next several decades, governments and developers gradually demolished thousands of SROs or converted them to other uses, including boutique hotels for tourists. Now, as a nationwide housing shortage has pushed rents and homelessness to historic highs, some states and localities are reconsidering the value of lower-cost, small units with shared kitchens, bathrooms, and amenities.
