New rules on micro apartments set by the Seattle City Council last fall are receiving some of the blame for higher rents—as much as 72% higher—in the city.
The new rule says that efficiency-style apartments have to measure at least 220 sf. Seattle’s city planner recently said that the council’s new rules have made small apartments more expensive to build and charged the board with “overreaching” and not giving micro-housing “a fair shake,” according to the Puget Sound Business Journal.
Before the rule, micro-apartments were gaining popularity especially among young renters. From 2007 through 2014, about 3,600 of units with less area than the new rule allows were built in Seattle with rents running in the $600-to-$800 range.
The city is working to develop new policies to encourage more affordable housing. In September, the mayor appointed a 28-member citizens' committee to come up with new policies.
Related Stories
Multifamily Housing | Mar 10, 2015
Multifamily renovation now drives growth for national restoration business
Response Team 1 has established a national footprint through acquisitions.
Retail Centers | Mar 10, 2015
Retrofit projects give dying malls new purpose
Approximately one-third of the country’s 1,200 enclosed malls are dead or dying. The good news is that a sizable portion of that building stock is being repurposed.
Architects | Mar 9, 2015
Study explores why high ceilings are popular
High ceilings give us a sense of freedom, new research finds
Transit Facilities | Mar 4, 2015
5+design looks to mountains for Chinese transport hub design
The complex, Diamond Hill, will feature sloping rooflines and a mountain-like silhouette inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paintings.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 3, 2015
10 kitchen and bath design trends for 2015
From kitchens made for pet lovers to floating vanities, the nation's top kitchen and bath designers identify what's hot for 2015.
Sponsored | Modular Building | Mar 3, 2015
Modular construction brings affordable housing to many New Yorkers
After city officials waived certain zoning and density regulations, modular microunits smaller than 400 square feet are springing up in New York.
Modular Building | Feb 23, 2015
Edge construction: The future of modular
Can innovative project delivery methods, namely modular construction, bring down costs and offer a solution for housing in urban markets? FXFOWLE’s David Wallance discusses the possibilities for modular.
Multifamily Housing | Feb 23, 2015
Millennials to outgrow Baby Boomers in 2015
The Baby Boomer generation, once the nation's largest living generation, will be outpaced by the Millennials this year, according to the Pew Research Center.
Multifamily Housing | Feb 19, 2015
Is multifamily construction getting too frothy for demand?
Contractors are pushing full speed ahead, but CoStar Group thinks a slowdown might be in order this year.
Multifamily Housing | Feb 18, 2015
Make It Right unveils six designs for affordable housing complex
BNIM is among the six firms involved in the project.
