News Update : Once curbed in Seattle, tiny apartments poised for a big boost from Legislature
Small apartments are on a roll, thanks to the latest legislation by Washington State's lawmakers. They are aiming to make housing more affordable for low-income dwellers of the state. These apartments are generally under 200 square feet with large sleeping areas and small bathrooms and washrooms.
Lawmakers want to make it easier to build small apartments with shared spaces in cities because houses are too expensive and there aren't enough of them. They passed a bill in the Washington state Senate to make cities change their rules and allow more of these compact living arrangements. The goal is to create more affordable housing in places where there's not much room and prices are high.
These apartments which are also known as micro-apartments or SROs (Single Room Occupancy); have a private sleeping area along with 01 bathroom and a joint kitchen with the living room. The usual rent for these apartments in Seattle starts from 1000$, which is on average 500$ less than the traditional studio apartment in Emerald City. This makes them more lucrative to the common folk with low-income averages.
The supporters and lobbyists supporting such a bill proclaim that affordable housing is everyone’s right and it will be difficult for people in the future to afford higher rents. However, the anti-lobby and its supporters have been against such housing communities for over a decade. They call for tighter regulations against such constructions as they decrease the property value of the surrounding areas.
The new law would make cities and counties let people build tiny homes on land where they already allow big apartment buildings with at least six units. This rule would start in late 2025. It would also stop cities from making lots of rules about tiny homes, like needing lots of parking, which can make building them more expensive. And cities couldn't make tougher rules for tiny homes than they do for other kinds of apartments.
Even though the construction of such community houses is on the rise, the local laws abstain them from making a noteworthy impact on the Seattle housing scene. With the rent being around the 1000$ monthly mark, this kind of housing is ideal for single-earning homes in the vicinity of 50,000$ per annum says architect David Neiman who is also a staunch supporter of the bill.
The legislation allows for more such buildings across Seattle, especially in regions where townhomes and small apartment buildings are already authorized. These communities are usually near the busy areas of the city, making them ideal for the working class earning on a lower average scale.
The lawmakers who support the bill unanimously say that this bill will help the working class as well as reduce the load on the public money that is already being used to subsidize housing for low-income households. The same lawmakers are also in favor of denser housing communities across the city and state near transit stops. The debate is still ongoing, but there is a sudden push in the movement to legalize these small apartments across Seattle providing relief to low-income households without being a burden on the state or federal finance machinery. Low-income housing remains the top priority of Seattle lawmakers making this bill an important link in the same chain.
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