
Elon Musk Wants Tesla Gigafactory Employees to Live on Site in Mobile Homes - SQL2219
http://www.thedrive.com/news/24163/tesla-looks-to-expand-gigafactory-with-proposed-employee-housing-compound
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cimmanom
It’s almost as if we didn’t learn our lesson 100 years ago about the failings
of the Company Town and Company Store. What’s next? Will Tesla be paying its
employees in scrip?

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omni
I'm genuinely curious in a breakdown of the good and bad of company housing
_without also assuming company scrip_ if you'd actually like to put some
content into this low-effort post.

Naively I'd imagine there's some sort of argument that company housing is good
for both the employees and the rest of the community. If Tesla moves in and
uses the general housing market, rents go up whether you work at Tesla or not.
Even if they increase their salaries to accommodate, it doesn't help you if
you work at the local hardware store. Conversely, if Tesla mitigates their own
employees' shock to the housing market by adding Tesla-only housing stock,
hardware store guy's rent doesn't go up by as much.

What am I missing?

~~~
cimmanom
Well, if losing / leaving your job means you also lose the roof over your
head, effective immediately or on short notice, that gives the company a whole
hell of a lot more leverage over employees.

And if you have to live in company housing in order to take your job (or have
access to it within a vaguely reasonable commute), the company has a lot more
leverage over you as tenant than a typical landlord would.

~~~
diggernet
I'm not settled on whether I consider this idea good or bad. Probably a mixed
bag. But these points are critical. It MUST be handled very carefully to avoid
being a really bad thing. Like, up front contract giving you 3-6 months to
move after end of employment (no matter the cause). Even better, have some
portion of the lots be empty with hookups, for employees to park their own
mobile home or RV.

[Edit to add: Your name is tongue-twisting my brain. Make it stop.]

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bighi
Why should employees worry about housing? About what to do with their lives?
Why should they worry about managing their finances?

I propose the idea of WorryFree, a new form of employment. They give you home,
food and handle all your money. You don't need to get paid, they provide
everything you need. In exchange you only have to work for them.

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HillaryBriss
not just mobile homes, but "kind of high-quality" mobile homes

sheezus, couldn't he have pitched this a little better?

"mobile homes", in the popular imagination, already connotes something of
lower quality than just "homes." and, if you want to attract people to
something like that, you don't say "kind of" you go all the way. you say
"extremely" or "high tech and modern" or something.

finally, just don't use the term "mobile home" at all. say "top quality, pre-
built, modular" or something. and if you're Elon Musk, paint your vision for
creating the world's largest factory for constructing high-tech modular
housing in the next state over.

I don't think that even was the real Elon Musk. This guy is an imposter.

~~~
creep
I think that was a direct verbal quote. Elon is kind of an awkward guy with
public speaking, but he's honest (from what I can tell of his body language
and etc.). Saying "kind of high-quality mobile homes" is probably just a vague
summation of what he wants for housing. He may have not totally figured it out
yet, or he may have been trying to lessen the impact of the "mobile homes"
part, or most likely both.

~~~
HillaryBriss
ok. yeah. makes sense. he tends to speak in an unfiltered way, sometimes to
his own detriment, but often that unpolished directness is refreshing. i guess
that was the real Elon Musk.

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sys_64738
Only if you join us, Mr Musk.

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reasonablemann
Fantastic idea for tech to try new ideas in housing and health care. Two
sectors of the economy that are increasing inequality and driving lower life
expectancy. With all their wealth and resources, the lack of focus on these
basic issues is surprising.

~~~
nathanaldensr
This is hardly a new idea.

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_town](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_town)

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345218435
is he finally showing signs of sleep deprivation? and is he aware?

