AJ Webber offers a tour of his 75 sq ft West Village apartment and tells viewers: ‘Whatever your expectations are, lower them’
Wed 22 Dec 2021 11.20 EST
Most New York stories ultimately revolve around property, but one TikTok user has shown the world just how crushing the city’s rental apartment situation has become despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a 46-second viral clip, AJ Webber offered a tour of his minute, 75 sq ft, low-ceiling West Village dwelling that just barely contains a sink, a microwave, and a loft bed. The short video has now had more than 26m views on the platform.
Webber showed his small shelf space for food with one bowl, one plate and a window. “Here is what it’s like living in the smallest apartment in New York,” Webber, a musician, said. “Whatever your expectations are, lower them.”
Webber did not reveal the monthly cost of his apartment, though the New York Post estimated that a similar dorm-like room would be priced at $1,600.
Amid the many indignities of New York life, property is among the most contentious. In recent years, landlords have touted the charms of micro-apartments, and the efficiencies of enforcing a no-clutter life.
Two years ago, a 242-sq-ft studio on West 12th Street went on the market for $550,000 while developers were rushing to build micro-apartment complexes across the city with dozens of tiny dwellings.
Many of Webber’s TikTok correspondents noticed that something was missing from his hidey-hole – namely a bathroom.
“Did you not see the window,” he replied to one. In truth, there is a shared bathroom in the building. If he forgets toilet paper, he said, “you have to do a little waddle back to your room”.
Responding to Webber’s post, one TikToker wrote simply: “Whatever you’re paying is too much.”
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