Since Lester Jenkins was a building contractor (and I assume a
successful one), why were the Jenkins living in a tiny Washington, DC
apartment? Was this ever explained in the series? It would have made
more sense if he was the owner of the apartment building, but Rose was
the owner.
I don't think he was a "building contractor," he was a construction worker. He may have been a foreman or other type of "boss," but he didn't own the company (IIRC). And Mary was a housewife. And the apartment wasn't "tiny."
shareThose type of apartments were just big enough for 3 people. I think that in an episode or two they were looking at houses but I doubt they eventually moved. If they didn't live in that apartment, the show wouldn't be called 227, LOL.
shareIf they didn't live in that apartment, the show wouldn't be called 227, LOL.What, no house can have the address 227?
Maybr they could not afford a house on Lester's salary.
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He started a company....starting a company does not in anyway equal profit. If anything, he was more broke starting one. They lived in an apartment because of the same reason millions of other families do. It's more affordable, and you don't have to worry about maintenance, especially in pricy living areas, like DC.......anyway, I think it was the way they intertwined all the other characters. The show would have been boring as crap without rose, pearl, calvin, & of course, the fabulous Sandra.
You only have one life to live.....and my life ain't an option!!
dc not expensive to live in unless u live in a condo, or house...especially in the 80's. but 227 was the address of the apartent, plus it wouldn't be the same if it was in a house
shareR u serious?
Do u live in DC?
IT IS SUPER EXPENSIVE 2 live in. The condos are outrageously priced, just like everything else: apartments, houses, efficiencies...gentrification is ruining DC.
IndiaArie'sTESTIMONY VOL 1:LIFE&RELATIONSHIP
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Re: Why did the Jenkins live in an apartment? by - lildcshawty on Tue Apr 17 2007 19:48:06
dc not expensive to live in unless u live in a condo, or house...especially in the 80's. but 227 was the address of the apartent, plus it wouldn't be the same if it was in a house
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R u serious?
Do u live in DC?
IT IS SUPER EXPENSIVE 2 live in. The condos are outrageously priced, just like everything else: apartments, houses, efficiencies...gentrification is ruining DC.
yes i am a resident of dc my whole life...i was reffering to the 80s dc...its not super expensive now but its expensive....if u want a condo then of course you are paying at least $300,000....gentrification is the cause of the living expense...putting people out of apartments to make condo's..then the people who ived in the condos cant affoord to live in the condos...trust i kno what its like to live in dc
Whether the 80s or now, ppl struggle and will continue to struggle. The jenkins lived where/how they did bc that is what lester's salaary afforded.
I was in chocolate city for college. Gentrification ripped everything up/apart. NO wonder ant williams is hated. I'm all for building up cities but when (and it did) mean pushing ppl out I'm against it.
I was on W st between 13& 14. We bought the bldg and has been remodelled so they couldnt force us out....
...but go up a lil, on the corner across from the gas station is all condos.
Fenty has alot of work to do!
IndiaArie TESTIMONY VOL 1:LIFE&RELATIONSHIP
tru..tru..people struggle everyday...im one of dem...i c people gettin thrown out of their apts. everyday..either gettin vouchers or moving to md...mostly pg...i cant stand condo's mayne!!...why pay all dat $$ for a lil apartment??
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Remember this sitcom was made in the 80s with an 80s outlook, and 80s salary at that.
In the very first episode after the landlord died Mary thought that Sandra was going to throw them out and she was reading the classifieds and she was seeing apartments for 1,000 a month. I was surprised because that was in 1985. It was nice to see a show about middle/working class people, regular folks. The African American sitcoms since have tended to play up how not poor the characters are as if it is politically incorrect to show black Americans who are not well to do on tv. Of the few such shows on tv in recent years only Everybody Hates Chris has shown working class blacks and that show is set 20 years ago.
shareWell, the Jeffersons lived in an apartment too. Maybe they were middle class. Nothing wrong with that.
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Mary was extremely anal about cleanliness and she didn't want the hassle of having people tracking dirt on her clean floors. She didn't have to worry as much in an apt.
Men enjoy the love they feel, Women enjoy the love we give
I was just thinking the same thing. The Jenkins could have lived in a house. Lester, I believe was a construction Forman, and had people that worked under him. Plus, Lester was able to go on business trips across the country and take Mary and Brenda with him. I really think he made enough money to live in a house especially back in the 1980's when it was still somewhat believable to have a one income and make it.
Although, I believe they could have, but 227 didn't seem that bad. Nice people, decent neighborhood. It's not like they lived in the "Good Times" apartment.
My job is to inform, not persuade- Dan Rather
I guess they didn't wanna leave Rose and Pearl.. and Sandra.
shareLester most likely did make enough for them to live in a house (and as I recall, there was an episode where they were contemplating moving into one), but the lower cost of living in an apartment probably allowed them to keep up a certain standard of living that may have been more difficult to maintain in a house. In 227, they could probably better afford to buy Brenda all that she needed and spoil themselves with extra amenities like cable TV, etc. In a house, there's a chance something would have had to give.
shareThink people if the Jenkins didn't live in apt. what would b the point on them living in a building called 227 DUH LOL . PPl don't think before saying dum stuff like really its called 227 cause the show is about the building 227 and it's tenants so if the was the case of the Jenkins living in a house it woulda been call the Jenkins show SMH .
shareTwo ways of looking at this...
1) The show was about an apartment building. The whole premise of it was to show the tenants living and interacting in close proximity. If they had lived in a house, then chances are that a character like Sandra would have been less of a nuisance to Mary.
2) Apartments are more cost-effective. Yes, Lester probably made enough to afford a house, but an apartment probably allowed more room for additional amenities. For instance, things like cable-TV...nicer furniture...allowing Mary to go on the occasional shopping spree...or keeping Brenda consistently well dressed. In a house, money would have been tighter.