Shanty towns or Hoovervilles consisting of tents, RVs, huts and so forth are now cropping up in many unusual places, the likes of which have not been seen since the Great Depression. One reason is the infamous credit crunch when people, especially prospective first-time buyers, cannot borrow the money to buy their homes. The other is the steadily worsening economy where people can no longer afford to even rent a living space.

This cluster offers a startling range of alternative accommodations ranging from RVs substituting as homes, car, motorbike and raft tents; tree house homes to unusual places like converted churches, lighthouses, and shipping containers.

You could even try growing your own home or build one from recycled materials or haystacks. Other innovations include really compact homes or a way of living rent-free besides residing in a shanty town.