Seattle Turns Away From Micro-Housing

Although not the most popular option. Micro-Housing has provided a cheap and affordable living option for college students, young professionals, and beginning families. Rather than living in the suburbs or cramped with roommates in cities people can live alone in centrally-located apartments that are slightly smaller than the average hotel room, and often have shared common spaces.

Seattle has become the leading developer for Micro-Housing. However, due to strict regulations and NIMBY opposition, the once innovative and affordable housing option has been killed in a pricey market.

Some detail as to why is as follows:

" But the units have become so burdened by design reviews, parking mandates, micromanagement of layout, and location limits, that they make little economic sense for developers, and few are built. In this respect, they have become de facto “illegal.”

In 2013, Seattle's housing market growth was made up of about 25% Micro-Housing.

"But once this growth was recognized by local media and residents, the anti-development pitchforks came out and the regulations rolled in. In September of 2014, King County Superior Court ruled, writes Neiman, “that all current pod-style micro-housing projects must go through the design review process, a time-consuming series of meetings with community members and a citizen panel that comment on plans.” This increased expenses and delays, forcing many developers to instead build Small Efficiency Dwelling Units (SEDU), a one-up from micro-units that must have 220 square feet of floor space.

If anyone knows or has had experience living in these micro units, please comment and describe your experience as to how effective the living experience was.

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