Posted on 11/12/2015 5:44:56 AM PST by equaviator
The Grand Rapids, MI, planning commission — which sees small apartments as a way to alleviate the city's affordable housing shortage — is adding the term "micro-unit" to its zoning ordinances and allowing developers to provide less vehicle parking than usually required in exchange for building them. Developers, however, must provide two bicycle parking spaces per unit.
Micro-units, the planning commission’s solution for people who make too much money to qualify for subsidized rent yet not enough to afford new, market-rate apartment, must be 475 square feet or smaller and be incorporated into a mixed-use commercial building, according to MLive.
Developers in Grand Rapids are already seeing high demand for the small apartments, in some cases advertised as "artist lofts" by developers. Max Benedict of Third Coast Development told MLive that seeing the response for the company's two available micro-units in downtown Grand Rapids was like "striking oil."
Providing developer incentives to build micro-units is "a market-based approach to get at affordable housing because if you're paying by square-footage, the smaller the unit the less you're going to pay," Suzanne Schulz, city planning director, told MLive.
"In an urban context,†she said, “your social life is outside your unit," she said. "(Your home) is a place to rest your head and maybe make a bowl of cereal."
Micro-homes, be it small apartments or tiny houses, are becoming the go-to affordable housing solution in many cities. Portland, OR, and Hawaii have both seen micro-apartment developments this year, and the tiny house movement is on the rise with lawmakers in Missouri, New Jersey and Washington, DC considering loosening regulations for, and sometimes encouraging the construction of, the smaller living spaces.
Humans competed to become Earth's top super predator not by killing animals but by killing their neighbors. The only way super predators can live in high density is via authoritarian control. As density increases, so must the rules, regulations, and restrictions. That is why most city slickers learn to vote communist. For humans, living unnaturally like insects is not a simpler life.
Yeah, but she didn’t have to indoctrinate the bees into going for it!
Indeed. She made it instinctive. That's what the colleges and media are working on. :-)
Ah... sad to hear about Ty.
“That’s what the colleges and media are working on.”
It’s not nice to impersonate Mother Nature!
Less to keep clean, room enough to bring in a dirt bike or a car engine to work on. Perfect! Hopefully for a reasonable rent amount.
What more could a young single guy ask for?
Save up the dough to buy a real house for cash later when you settle down.
“What more could a young single guy ask for?”
What more would a young single guy even know to ask for when the possibilities are no longer endless?
“What did you dream?...It’s all right, we told you what to dream!” (Pink Floyd- Welcome To The Machine)
As does having your mother bring your meals to you and take your laundry to wash.
There is really no reason for these apartments in this area. This is not New York City.
[singing] Get ‘em out by Friday...
Knowing Grand Rapids’ corruptocracy, the property taxes on each micro unit will at least equal a typical owner-occupied house. Oh, and the city will not require off-street parking as the construction is approved, and install parking meters in all directions.
Yes, the American dream is to own a 4,000 sq. ft. palace with spacious bedrooms, cathedral ceilings, three-car garages and acres of lush lawn surrounding it. I've been there and done that and have a million dollars in mortgage payments behind me to show for it.
But for the very young just starting out or for the aging empty-nesters, this is not a bad way to go.
When I moved to my current CT home from Massachusetts, I downsized considerably and it's much nicer to have a home that is more easily maintained. Before coming down here, I got rid of most of my furniture, digitalized most of my music and books and have a wall mounted flatscreen TV. Nothing but laptops and tablets for computers and everything wireless, even the stereo system. It's a nice, clean uncluttered and modern space.
Downsizing living space is not for everybody but it's a trend that works for me. When I moved out of my last home, there were rooms I hadn't even stepped into for years. I just didn't need all that space.
And guess for whom these units are intended...
Students tend not to live in the area where they are putting these apartments in.
300 sf micros in Seattle are $1000/mo. What gets me is they tear down some building and put the mircros on the old building AND parking lot - so it is all street parking for an even far larger number of people. Of course that is to force people into using mass-transit.
Heck - Seattle is even taking street parking in front of businesses and turning it into mini “green belts”.
If they make sense in large cities people will buy them... seems that’s happening.
more inane social experimentation...
I would hope that as a result of better economic circumstances, the average American wouldn’t have to consider a lifestyle that brings the scale and scope of everyday living down to where they shouldn’t even think about having a dozen or so people over for a weekend party or family gathering. If it makes sense to not have a fear of missing out on some of those things, then I hope it doesn’t make sense for too long.
Hey, u dissing the SIMS?! Waaaaa!
(my son is a developer on the SIMS project team... ;) )
George Soros just orgasmed.
Truly!
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