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 | Sep 22, 2021
11 notable multifamily projects to debut in 2021
A residence for older LGBTQ+ persons, a P3 student housing building, and a converted masonic lodge highlight the multifamily developments to debut this year.
Multifamily Housing | Sep 1, 2021
Top 10 outdoor amenities at multifamily housing developments for 2021
Fire pits, lounge areas, and covered parking are the most common outdoor amenities at multifamily housing developments, according to new research from Multifamily Design+Construction.
Giants 400 | Aug 30, 2021
2021 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S.
The 2021 Giants 400 Report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 30, 2021
366-unit multifamily community breaks ground San Jose
KTGY designed the project.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 27, 2021
ODA completes West Half, its first D.C. project
The project is located in Washington, D.C.’s Navy Yard.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 26, 2021
Luxury residential tower breaks ground in Downtown Phoenix
The tower will rise 26 stories.
Multifamily Housing | Aug 19, 2021
Multifamily emerges strong from the pandemic, with Yardi Matrix's Doug Ressler
Yardi Matrix's Doug Ressler discusses his firm's latest assessment of multifamily sales and rent growth for 2021.
Resiliency | Aug 19, 2021
White paper outlines cost-effective flood protection approaches for building owners
A new white paper from Walter P Moore offers an in-depth review of the flood protection process and proven approaches.
Senior Living Design | Aug 13, 2021
Designing with dignity for senior living, with Mike Rodebaugh, LEO A DALY
In this exclusive interview for HorizonTV, Mike Rodebaugh, AIA, Senior Living Sector Leader with LEO A DALY, describes how his firm applies "hospitality magic tricks" in its senior living communities, using design to lend dignity to residents, staff, and residents' families and social circles.
