Notes from Underground: 7 Years of Living in Basements

Over the past seven years, as we’ve struggled to get solvent, mentally well and credit-worthy, we have lived in four different basement apartments. And over those years, they’ve gone from a quick fix for an untenable housing situation to pure misery.

Initially, we saw basement living as a relief. The first time we rented underground, my husband and I were at an all-time…