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
Senior Living Design | Apr 19, 2022
Affordable housing for L.A. veterans and low-income seniors built on former parking lot site
The Howard and Irene Levine Senior Community, designed by KFA Architecture for Mercy Housing of California, provides badly needed housing for Los Angeles veterans and low-income seniors
Market Data | Apr 14, 2022
FMI 2022 construction spending forecast: 7% growth despite economic turmoil
Growth will be offset by inflation, supply chain snarls, a shortage of workers, project delays, and economic turmoil caused by international events such as the Russia-Ukraine war.
Wood | Apr 13, 2022
Mass timber: Multifamily’s next big building system
Mass timber construction experts offer advice on how to use prefabricated wood systems to help you reach for the heights with your next apartment or condominium project.
Codes and Standards | Apr 13, 2022
LEED multifamily properties fetch higher rents and sales premiums
LEED-certified multifamily properties consistently receive higher rents than non-certified rental complexes, according to a Cushman & Wakefield study of two decades of data on Class A multifamily assets with 50 units or more.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 7, 2022
Ken Soble Tower becomes world’s largest residential Passive House retrofit
The project team for the 18-story high-rise for seniors slashed the building’s greenhouse gas emissions by 94 percent and its heating energy demand by 91 percent.
Multifamily Housing | Apr 5, 2022
New Covenant House New York contains multiple services for youth in crisis
The new Covenant House New York, a crisis shelter for homeless youth in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, provides a temporary home and multiple services for young people.
Sponsored | BD+C University Course | Apr 1, 2022
Video surveillance systems for multifamily housing projects
This introductory course provides detailed technical information and advice from security expert Michael Silva, CPP, on designing a video surveillance system for multifamily housing communities – apartments, condominiums, townhouses, or senior living communities. Technical advice on choosing the right type of cameras and optimizing the exterior lighting for their use is offered.
Modular Building | Mar 31, 2022
Rick Murdock’s dream multifamily housing factory
Modular housing leader Rick Murdock had a vision: Why not use robotic systems to automate the production of affordable modular housing? Now that vision is a reality.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 31, 2022
Mixed-use affordable housing project aims for zero waste
The Peninsula in the Bronx, N.Y., a mixed-use affordable housing campus, just opened its first phase.
Multifamily Housing | Mar 29, 2022
Ken McCarren to succeed Craig Jones as president of MBK Rental Living
Ken McCarren to succeed Craig Jones as president of MBK Rental Living