Thanks for a well written story and I also appreciate the family sharing it. Since 2008, my father and I have shared our house with a student (to add income) my college age child, a homeless young man and his pit bull, and most recently my unemployed sibling moved in the basement. The greed inspired venture capitalism, focused only on the bottom line for the 1% has destroyed our economy in sending good jobs overseas and stripping workers here of pay and benefits. It is unbelievable to me that anyone in their right mind would want these same people again in control of our economy, or that more people are not out in the streets demanding radical change.

Bittersweet story, nicely done. Bobbie and Gerald, hang in there, you sound like great people, helping others when you have your own challenges. As an aside, these stories are why it burns me up when I hear the state wasting $14 million to buy swamp land (see Dennis Anderson story). Why not use that more wisely?

tiny home? there are thousands of similar houses in the cities. my first house was just like it. 900sq/ft. plus basement for 900 more. and 450 upstairs. thats over 2000. small house my eye.

I think it's hard for a lot of people to feel sorry for them; after all, this article preaches to the choir. In 2005 I got married and left my 5-acre country place (that I owned and made mortgage payments with my own job); fast-forward 7 years and I'm divorced, living in a 1-bedroom apartment, driving a '93 Oldsmobile and working a job (that although I like) doesn't pay as much as my MBA education would expect. Further, to the couple with the dog and the cat, those should be the first to go. And before anyone says "but pets are like family," well, I think humans should feed and house themselves comfortably before feeding and housing animals.

Welcome to America. Great story of one family.. there are so many. People need to having understanding and compassion cause we are in this all together. Hard times can hit any of us.

I applaud this family. That's what it is about helping one another. If you look at other cultures their family's and extended family live together. Caring for the elderly pooling their talent buying multifamily homes together. But it seems we in the USA are behind the times. My house is always open to family my kids Grand kids,etc. I remember for a period of time I & my 2 kids lived with my mom. I payed extremely cheap rent and bought the food. My brother lived upstairs for mom it was a plus. We did the repairs took her wherever she wanted to go she did not drive. It does have it's advantages for all. You just have to make sure each has their private space to escape too aka a bedroom with a door etc. You also have to remember each other is entitled to their opinion which may differ from yours that's okay to have different opinions that is what makes this country great would be boring if they were all the same. It is a shame instead of them selling this place to go to an apt. that they just can't all get together and maybe buy a 4plex or multi family home. someplace.

Where in the constitution does it say that Americans are entitled to a care-free life, without hardships. We choose to live in a free and capitalist society, where there are boom and bust cycles. Life is all about taking risks and some are much better at it than others. I have faith in America, that we will come through this time leaner and more focused and ready for a new chapter, which doesn't include anymore bailouts for banks, gov'ts or people....we needed to be taught some self-discipline.

@joe_mn Your attitude is the kind that really isn't needed in this kind of economy. The story said that they bought it because everything was on one floor. I found into online and it's a single story house and is 875 sq feet of which 816 sq ft is on the first floor. That would mean that the basement isn't finished except for a small area. I suspect that your experience with such large basements is from the suburbs where houses were built more recently. Most of the older houses in St. Paul and Minneapolis do NOT have a large basement. Why don't you follow in the Grinch's footsteps and learn some compassion and grow your heart just a little larger. :-)