# Where can someone setup barracks for a business?



## DondreKhan (May 6, 2014)

I've had an actual idea that I'm going to be running with for a story, where I can magially get past most of the barriers to actually doing it.

The idea is to have a business that is an intense training class in independence and social skills for high functioning Autistic people.  It is different from other social skills classes beause it focuses on doing actual everyday activities as a way of gaining real life experience and confidence.

Because of how much needs to be done and what the instructors need to correct, they decide to have everyone involved live in a barracks so that they can be observed and always ready to go at any moment.  Plus it helps give them oppertunities to interact with each other.

The problem with this is that I have no idea where they would all live.  If they have 20 people paying $5,000 each, they can't all just share bunks in an apartment because there's going to be a limit on the number of people per apartment.  They could maybe rent space in a stripmall or something, but I don't think it would be legal to live there.  Maybe it would, if it's not a permenent living location and because as part of the business, they might be able to use it for that.  There would also be living space in the back for the people running it.

I have no idea where something like this could be set up.


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## kilroy214 (May 7, 2014)

I would assume whoever is funding the project would be somewhat wealthy and possibly own a large swatch of private property, where any building, as long as it is up to code, can be used for whatever purpose the owner wants. Unless something suspicious happens that would give authorities probable cause to get a search warrant to enter the property, the owner can keep whoever they want out and do whatever they want inside.


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## dvspec (May 7, 2014)

Maybe a multi story building where two or three of the floors were dedicated to the business.  One for the classes, one for the students and one for the employees. Limit access with key cards in the elevator. 

My evil, thriller-writing side wants to take your autistic kids hostage and see what kind of mayhem it creates in them.  I don't think I would be up to doing twenty though, I will have to separate a couple from the herd and steal them.  After I get a snack. . .


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## Greimour (May 7, 2014)

Second what Kilroy said.

Think about X-men. That isn't so far beyond what you are saying. Autistic people instead of Mutant, but still the same basic idea for an initial set-up.
Additionally, remember that this is fiction you are writing - you only have to give satisfactory reasoning if any. 
*
"That's just how it is." *is a generally accepted fact in fiction. How does a hydra have so many heads? How does a dragon breath fire? How do Elves live so long? What do Dwarves use for light in the oxygen limited underground passageways? These issues have been addressed by some authors, but they have also been used without explanation by countless others. Even reality has some things people just accept as fact without understanding how they work - like a cow having three stomachs... not many care to find out why or how it works - it is just accepted. How can such a tiny spider spin so much webbing - where did they hold it all? Though I have done research on it, the general masses just accept it without question.

Just go with what Kilroy said. Private building on Private land owned by the man who began the project. As long as he has a purpose for doing so it should turn out OK.


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## Sam (May 7, 2014)

For one thing, I suggest you change 'barracks' henceforth. You're setting up a place for autistic (that's not a proper noun) people to congregate. A barracks is accommodation for soldiers, not civilians, and so if I were you I'd reconsider calling it that.


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## DondreKhan (May 7, 2014)

@Kilroy

Nice suggestion.  I might go with it.  I was thinking that they would need to be on a budget of an absolute maximum of $10K per year. (20 kids, a hefty $5k each for a total of $100K, paying salery for two to three people, then all the food that the kids are going to need.)  I should possibly stop referring to them as kids, because being at least 21 is a requirement since they'll be going to bars and stuff.  On that note, it will not in any way be a pickup artist type class, and Heinrich makes this very clear to them early on.  He doesn't even approch the subject of talking to women until they get competent with general interaction, and still never gives instructions about talking to women when a unisex approach would do.

I think I can actually use this approach in the following way: Heinrich has grandparents who decide to move into an apartment in a retirement community and they decide to give him the house for when he gets married to Alex.  They live in the upstairs rooms and convert the first floor rooms at the back of the house to a bunk room and a living room.

They could probably also buy a used 15 passenger van for a few thousand dollars.

@dvspec

The multifloor building (if it's small) sounds good, but it would probably cost too much for rent.  I don't want to have anything shady going on.  It's a good, clean business motivated by compassion.  Could be interesting if anyone else wants to persue that.

@sam

I realize I need to change the name.  It's not exactly "barracks."  "Bunks" works fine.


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## Nickleby (May 8, 2014)

At any given time, there are several defunct motels in this area. Eventually, they get torn down or remodelled. An abandoned motel would give you individual rooms for the students and any other common areas you need, including a restaurant for their cafeteria.


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## DondreKhan (May 8, 2014)

Nickleby said:


> At any given time, there are several defunct motels in this area. Eventually, they get torn down or remodelled. An abandoned motel would give you individual rooms for the students and any other common areas you need, including a restaurant for their cafeteria.



That would be a great idea, if it's afforable.  It would have to be under $10K, maybe an absolute 20 or slightly higher.  With $100K, they could probably get by with only $10K for both of their saleries since the motel would give them a place to live free of rent, so that could give them tens of thousands of dollars to put toward the cost.

With a whole motel, they could probably pair people up two to three per room for a total of 40 people, but any more than that would reduce the ability to provide individual treatment.  They could possibly add one of their friends to the staff and divide the boys into advisory groups of 20 per person for a total of 60, which could get them a total of $300K.  With that, they could certainly spend up to 200 on the motel, which could cover the cost of just what the land is worth.


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## Morkonan (May 23, 2014)

DondreKhan said:


> ...I have no idea where something like this could be set up.



There are projects like this already in existence. For instance, I heard a radio-interview, just the other day, for one that was being set up in the local area, with multiple locations.

You're looking for a "residential" environment, so that complicates things. You must think in terms of "liability." Any company that actually houses these individuals is going to be taking upon a heck of a lot of liability for their safety and welfare. As a result, this would be a very exclusive sort of facility for those who are functional. There are government facilities for those that are not able to function well in social situations or must be made wards of the state. That's a different story, altogether.

I would follow the patter that many residential, private, school settings offer. You're looking at "dormitory" situation, but with much more supervision and plenty of cautionary restrictions. But, I would not think you'd want a "barracks" sort of situation, rather a residential building with four or so "roommates" to a room, sharing bath facilities, and very close supervision by resident advisers. (RA's) Think of a "Addiction Rehab" facility - That's what you'd probably want.

Note: In the US, and many other Western countries, you can only "reside" at a property that is zoned for "residetial" use, no exceptions. Certain classifications, like for "commercial residences", like hotels, are also available. But, in any case, the property must be properly "zoned" for people to actually live there or stay there, overnight. There are many good reasons for that, from fire and safety concerns to insurance requirements.


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## Cran (May 23, 2014)

The point about barracks taken, there are times when military training bases become surplus and available - recent example in South Oz (just down the road from where I used to live) is the artillery barracks, Inverbrackie, in the Adelaide Hills. It is currently being utilised as a refugee/asylum seeker/illegal immigrant detention center. Another real life possibility comes from West Oz - smaller local hospitals are being closed down; some may be given over to high-care residential facilities.


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## Morkonan (May 26, 2014)

Cran said:


> The point about barracks taken, there are times when military training bases become surplus and available ...



Converted military installations are all over the place, especially if they're "historic." My first college was at a converted military installation. Come to think of it, so was my second.  At the dorm, I slept in what was, essentially, old military officer's quarters. We had no air-conditioning and only very ancient steam heating. We had communal bathrooms and giant "shower pits" with absolutely no privacy at all, except the toilet stalls had real doors on them... 

Another college I attended had secret tunnels under the campus where arms and ammunition as well as secret documents and offices happened to be... during the American Civil War. I got the chance to explore some of those, just before they started blocking them in and filling them up. Fun stuff, great fodder for an interesting setting.


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## egpenny (Jun 3, 2014)

You need to have separate or almost separate rooms for each student. Shove a bunch of autistic people in one or two rooms and you are going to have meltdowns, over-stimulations, and withdrawals into their own heads.
I'm an Apsie, a lower-case, if you will, autistic.  Even so, holidays with the family freak me out, and I generally leave early because of overstimulation. 
So beware and take care of how you treat your students.


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## Ethan (Jun 5, 2014)

There are many decomissioned military stations dotted all over the U.K. with housing and training facilities still in fair working order. From Time to time, local council are given permission to Buy/Lease these sites and many do. They are then leased/rented/Sold by that council. you can google it !


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## aliveatnight (Jun 5, 2014)

As the others have been saying, using hotels/old military barracks/etc are great places for this type of setting. Perhaps look at mental institutions, I'm pretty sure that's similar to what you're going for. See what they do, how they're set up. 
And do be careful of the treatment, as egpenny said. Too many people together are going to have bad reactions.


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