“At what point is someone happy?” This question posted by one Reddit user commenting on the latest real estate transaction by Kim Kardashian has far more implications than simply being news about celebrities. It has implications related to the increasing contrast between luxury and ecology, especially when the context is drought ridden Southern California.
In other Kardashian news, she has recently acquired a property right next to her existing massive estate in Hidden Hills for $7 million. The 4, 945 square foot mansion comes with four bedrooms, five bathrooms, and a spa. These two properties and others in Kardashian’s estate, which further undergo renovation, reflect yet another extension to what is, in effect, a massive compound. These kinds of transactions and others like it are not uncommon in their affluent circles, yet the extent to which Kardashian continues to add to her empire has many wondering if they’re being responsible in their usage. According to Carson, “Homes and buildings account for 40% of total energy use in the US.” Additionally, Carson reveals, “Mega mansions, because of their enormous square footage, have a huge energy demand for heating, cooling, and maintenance.”
And water usage is an issue that is even more contentious. The properties owned by Kardashian have been cited on several occasions by the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District for the overconsumption of water in the driest of times. According to Mike McNutt of the district, “Kardashian’s two adjacent properties used more water in June than their budgets allowed, exceeding their budgets by some 232,000 gallons – enough to fill a swimming pool to the top of the Olympics.”
There have been fines imposed, in some cases only a few thousand dollars, which have had little effect on the well-off individuals. McNutt said bluntly, “Financial punishment is going to be inconsequential to them because it doesn’t matter. They have lots of money.” To reduce the water being wasted by these rich individuals, the district may have to install the flow restriction devices, which would reduce their water usage outdoors by 70%, making their green grass dry and their showers be mere trickles.
However, there is also a psychological cost to living in houses that are too massive in size. Studies show that living in large houses may intensify a sense of loneness, inspire greater fears for one’s safety, and even add to the stresses associated with maintenance issues. As one Reddit user commented, “The more house, the more things to lock up, and ways for those locks to be breached.” The idea of having all the space one may covet becomes so much less enticing once it has been measured in terms of its associated stresses.
On the other hand, the trend towards more efficient and compact residential solutions has been on the rise as a green alternative. Accessory dwelling units and tiny houses provide lower utility costs, lower maintenance requirements, and a smaller footprint. Accessory dwelling units, often labeled as “granny flats” or “backyard cottages,” provide an efficient and energy effective solution that utilizes the existing infrastructure without resorting to urban sprawl. They consume less construction material and provide the benefit of passive cooling in addition to containing drought tolerant landscaping.
California has encouraged the development of ADUs by lending a subsidy of up to $40,000 to homeowners who build them. In the city of LA, the number of ADU approved permits had risen from 9,000 in 2018 to over 12,000 in 2020, showing the level of interest in the development. ADUs could be used for intergenerational living arrangements, additional income generation through renting, and an avenue for young adults to live in an ADU due to the affordability of the houses.
The difference between Kardashian’s expansion of his own estate and the ADU movement highlights this shift in culture. Mega manions represent a desire for luxury, exclusivity, and the best, but at the expense of being green or resilient. Smaller, more innovative solutions for housing, encouraged by government incentives and shifting public attitudes, represent a way to reconcile comfort with greenness.
With 70% of residential water consumption dedicated to outdoor landscaping in the area, land use designations are significantly influential on property owners beyond the desires of individual homeowners. With the growing effects of climate change, the issue that was ignited within the Kardashian purchase conversation extends beyond the extravagance of celebrity culture. It now involves redefining what “enough” means within a resource constrained planet.
