Fourplexes pencil in most suburban contexts with rather large units. Those will probably be *townhouses* rather than flats, though!
https://twitter.com/ebwhamilton/status/1363873438155345920
US law gives horizontal/land subdivision many advantages over condo/strata title. The legal process is much simpler & cheaper, both to set up & to run. All kinds of things follow from this, like financing, insurance, maintenance.
Condos have an added problem: construction defects. Roof leaks are common, tough to contain. In a condo, builder & owners end up fixing all units; in a TH, could just be one.
In some states, this alone basically ended condos: cobizmag.com/construction-d…
In some states, this alone basically ended condos: cobizmag.com/construction-d…
Multiple smaller structures have an inherent phasing advantage & a big financing advantage:
More-robust market also means developers find it easier to finance THs than apts (much less condos).
https://twitter.com/paytonchung/status/1363899195204259845
More-robust market also means developers find it easier to finance THs than apts (much less condos).
Hence, lots of local LU reforms focus on making horizontal subdivision easier:
LA small lot subdivisions usually have fee-simple houses w air gaps + access easements
huduser.gov/portal/casestu…
LA small lot subdivisions usually have fee-simple houses w air gaps + access easements
huduser.gov/portal/casestu…
CA bungalow courts or WA cottage courts / pocket neighborhoods
https://twitter.com/alfred_twu/status/1197775979596222470
Fee-simple ADUs in Durham NC (& maybe Atlanta - also, good example of how subdividing wins on finance vs. multi-unit rentals)
kronbergua.com/post/griffin-s…
kronbergua.com/post/griffin-s…
BUT these have problems!
Once you've decided that each unit has to be ground-to-sky + this being America, there are legal/practical parking minimums, that creates a de facto DUA maximum. There's a practical limit to minimum lot size
Once you've decided that each unit has to be ground-to-sky + this being America, there are legal/practical parking minimums, that creates a de facto DUA maximum. There's a practical limit to minimum lot size
https://twitter.com/paytonchung/status/1179483628956524545
Minimizing footprint and maximizing square footage results in tall, often ungainly floor plans
As much as I like Philly's trinities, they have a limited market
https://twitter.com/paytonchung/status/1353071050842533888
As much as I like Philly's trinities, they have a limited market
One insidious way US code favors townhouses over flats: in most states, stacked flats require considerably costlier IBC (fire isolated stairs + sprinklers), but rows can be done as IRC:
Makes a bit of practical sense: fire rises
https://twitter.com/paytonchung/status/1332425491945578496
Makes a bit of practical sense: fire rises
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