How to Survive Even the Most Awkward Roommate Conflicts

KQED's Forum

KQED

News, Politics, News Commentary

4.2 • 726 Ratings

🗓️ 26 August 2025

⏱️ 55 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Roommate relationships are increasingly common, with a record-high 6.8 million households in America reporting that they share space with roommates and boarders. Sharing a home can be wonderful, but it also creates questions like how should you negotiate fridge space – and whether it’s okay that your romantic partner sleeps over. We’re joined by a comedian who mediates roommate conflicts Judge Judy-style, and a therapist who has heard every conundrum under the sun – from how to split rent, to how to reconcile living with an ex. Do you have a roomie conflict you’d like an expert to weigh in on? Tell us about it! Guests: Sahaj Kaur Kohli, therapist, writer, speaker, and founder, Brown Girl Therapy; author of the book, "But What Will People Say? Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love, and Family Between Cultures" Michael Abber, comedian; host and self-appointed judge of the viral video series Roommate Court Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:46.2	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Nina Kim.
1:05.8	Coming up on forum, how to survive roommate conflicts.
1:08.9	A record 7 million American households report sharing space with roommates,
1:12.8	which means a lot of people negotiating everything from fridge space and pets to whether it's okay for a romantic partner to sleep over.
1:19.7	This hour, we get advice from a therapist and columnist for the Washington Post and a comedian who mediates roommate conflicts online.
1:32.3	For over a year, Patrick and his roommates have been sharing custody of their cat. Lucy, now Patrick is seeking sole guardianship and his roommates dispute the claim.
1:39.3	What's a roommate conflict you'd like them to weigh in on?
1:42.3	Join us. Welcome to Forum. I'm Mina Kim. The number of
1:52.0	American households reporting they live with roommates is near 7 million. With California and Hawaii,
1:57.4	the top two states where residents are most likely to have roommates, according to an
2:01.6	analysis of census data by porch. That means lots of opportunity for awkward roommate interactions
2:08.1	or even the all-out conflict, amid the rewards of shared living, of course. So this hour,
	...

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