No need for a design competition. They've had these for well over a century in the South and they're called "shotgun shacks". I think they look pretty cool, too.
Posted on 12/31/2006 3:10:03 PM PST by Lorianne
Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver are creating strategies to encourage the development of modest, more affordable houses ___ In these three Pacific Northwest cities, the progressive power of urban planning is taken very seriously, and concepts like livability and sustainability dominate the local civic culture to such an extent that to visit all three in rapid succession, as I did in October, is to drop in on another country. It’s not the United States or Canada, but a more highly evolved combination of the two.
In each city I was impressed by major developments, dramatic projects that promised to refresh the urban landscape in conspicuous ways.
It was in Seattle, however, where I saw the best small house. Dave Sarti, who co-taught a design-build studio at the University of Washington last year, had constructed an 800-square-foot house with a 160-square-foot double-height attached workshop. It’s a sweet fire-engine-red box planted in the backyard of a Central District home. I walked down the grassy driveway past an unremarkable blue traditional home and was surprised to see this Bauhaus cube where another yard might have a swing set.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessweek.com ...
Now that my kids are almost grown, I was thinking of those little cottages that Homedepot/Lowes sell. All I need is a little land and move one of those on there. I have decided I want a hottub though.
I wanted some land for the dogs too. They can get out and run and chase rabbits & such.
Sustainability?
Even Patrick Moore admits that we have forests that are dying from too many trees. Let's cut some of them into lumber and build some houses that are large enough not to cause a divorcedue to claustrophobia.
I give you credit for admitting it. I see my friends buying new vehicles every 2 or 3 years while my wife's car is 12 years old and my pickup is 8. They buy boats or other toys and growl at the finance companies for gouging them...
These "homes" are not for liberals. They will still live in their 2000 foot "starter" homes. These homes are what the rest of us are supposed to prefer, or are preferred for the rest of us.
the a article says they bought somebody's back yard for 35k, then spent 180k for the house
too wacky
I don't think the anyone is proposing mandating small houses.
The country is full of them, and the people that have no choice but to live in them get divorced at almost twice the rate as people that have livable housing.
Crowding is crazy.
Oh, sure. I have no objection to the house, just to the writer's attitude that "small is better."
We traded up as our family grew, and as the kids have moved out we are trading down.
I think I've just discovered Danny DeVito's Freep screen name...
Finally paid off my 1000 foot house. It was kind of funny down at work when everybody was telling the square feet of their houses. The smallest was 1600 feet, and when I said 1000 several people looked at me like I was crazy and wouldn't even talk to me after that. It was funny because I was already paid off and they were still paying on their palaces and still are I suppose. I suppose, because I have since retired and they haven't and might never be able to because they have to keep the payments coming and their taxes, and their heating bill, and whatever.
No need for a design competition. They've had these for well over a century in the South and they're called "shotgun shacks". I think they look pretty cool, too.
You really, really should do this. We live near Seattle, and are aghast at the insane, inflated home prices here. The houses you are discussing would be much, much better than the condos that are typically the "first home" for many people these days. I am not a developer, but have thought many times that there is a great need for what you are thinking. Go for it!
In the Seattle area, you will not be finding any land for $35k - probably not even $135K (we are talking undeveloped, no less).
After the author (and other enlightened progressives like her) live in this house for 5 years or longer, then perhaps I'd think about it.
Once again, the know-better-than-the-rest-of-us liberals are telling us how WE should live, while they (probably) continue to live in their mansions.
We both work out of our home. One reason space is an issue.
In a place where land is expensive, that's an incentive for apartments, condos, and townhouses, not little dinky houses.
I could buy more than that small house with the same amount of money he forked out for land and construction. And, it wouldn't be in someone's backyard! Oy.
How about mobile home parks? That is cheap living..
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