The Idaho Statesman newspaper published an editorial Sunday supporting a developer's request to include smaller-sized homes in a new Kuna, ID subdivision. The developer's request to build several homes less than the 1,400-square-feet required minimum size was turned down last week.
Several customers recently told the developer they wanted homes in his subdivision, but didn't need 1,400 square feet. The developer focused on 1,250 square feet which “wouldn't detract from the values of nearby, larger homes. One hundred and fifty square feet less than somebody else isn't going to ruin a subdivision."
"The city should protect a neighborhood's integrity. Very few investments in our lifetime are more important than our house,” said the planning commissioner.
“When I signed the development agreement (minimum 1,400 sq ft), we were at $2-a-gallon gas,” the developer said. “Green, energy-efficient homes that are what you can truly afford - that's the marketplace right now.”
The newspaper urged the planning department to work with developers and builders to educate residents that with good design, construction and maintenance, even a small house can look great and uphold neighborhood property values.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Microhomes multiply
John Faust, subscriber to the new Google Group and mailing list "Low Cost Community Housing", recently brought two great examples of comfortable low-cost housing to our attention.First is infill microhomes being built in Reno, Nevada. The homes are created by HabeRae Investments, Inc. The company specializes in urban infill projects in the urban core of Reno.
Here's another example of micro homes in Dwell. Called H.E.L.P. (Help Every Last Person), this mini prefab created by designer Carib Daniel Martin is one of many architectural responses to the housing crisis created by Hurricane Katrina. Known as microHOME, the home is available starting at about $40,000 (delivery and installation included).
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Put your life on a diet
Gregory Paul Johnson has published a new book entitled "Put Your Life on a Diet". The subtitle is "Lessons Learned Living in 140 Square Feet", referring to his Mobile Hermitage. The book focuses on living a simpler life, leaving behind a smaller environmental footprint, and living a healthier life for you and the planet.
Small house conference in July
Great news from the April issue of the Small House Society News. (I like the way Greg refers to recipients as a "Friend of Simpler and Smaller Living".)
The Small House Society Conference 2008 will take place July 12 and 13 at the Iowa City Public Library. It is part of an overall Resources for Life Conference.
Don't miss this chance to take a first-hand look at Greg's 140-square-foot residence, the Mobile Hermitage, on July 11.
The Small House Society Conference 2008 will take place July 12 and 13 at the Iowa City Public Library. It is part of an overall Resources for Life Conference.
Don't miss this chance to take a first-hand look at Greg's 140-square-foot residence, the Mobile Hermitage, on July 11.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Affordable housing discussion: Together or separate?
I'm considering forming a new Yahoo group for people serious about truly affordable cohousing concepts. Already I've received several private e-mails from people expressing an interest in doing this. I hesitate to start a discussion like this separate from the main coho mailing list because the knowledge and support of experienced cohousers is needed.
Since coho projects often are formed in a particular geographical area, I'm not quite sure how this new list would look. I'd like to see it include people who primarily want to keep expenses well under $150,000 per member, including community construction and membership -- from any geographical area.
If you are interested in being notified about formation of a group like this, please leave your name and e-mail address in the comments area. I'd also encourage you to subscribe to the Cohousing Association's mailing list , check out the Cohousing wiki, and follow links from these sources and the Small House Society to read more about it. More later as this idea percolates.
Since coho projects often are formed in a particular geographical area, I'm not quite sure how this new list would look. I'd like to see it include people who primarily want to keep expenses well under $150,000 per member, including community construction and membership -- from any geographical area.
If you are interested in being notified about formation of a group like this, please leave your name and e-mail address in the comments area. I'd also encourage you to subscribe to the Cohousing Association's mailing list , check out the Cohousing wiki, and follow links from these sources and the Small House Society to read more about it. More later as this idea percolates.
Discuss truly affordable cohousing
Truly affordable cohousing and accessibility are the current hot topics on the Cohousing mailing list. Although there is a concerted effort at many projects to have some units available to people with low incomes, posters (including myself) have suggested that many new building techniques can open the cohousing threshold to low-income and poverty-level people.
Most projects have an entry-level expense of about $200,000 to $300,000 and up. A typical three-bedroom home in cohousing can be the same price as comparable homes in that geographical market. Project home prices often are slightly higher than comparable homes when the shared expense of developing the community (Common House) and/or 'green' construction features are included.
Affordable housing examples that could cost anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000 include smaller houses (less than 1,000 square feet), prefabricated or modular homes, converted shipping crates, Katrina Cottages, or homes built entirely of recycled materials. Many of these types of dwellings are discussed on the Small Home Society mailing list and on a growing variety of web sites focused on sustainable and ecological building construction.
I'm looking forward to further discussions and will include new information here as the topic unfolds. Please contribute your observations or opinions about truly affordable cohousing in 'comments' to this post.
Most projects have an entry-level expense of about $200,000 to $300,000 and up. A typical three-bedroom home in cohousing can be the same price as comparable homes in that geographical market. Project home prices often are slightly higher than comparable homes when the shared expense of developing the community (Common House) and/or 'green' construction features are included.
Affordable housing examples that could cost anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000 include smaller houses (less than 1,000 square feet), prefabricated or modular homes, converted shipping crates, Katrina Cottages, or homes built entirely of recycled materials. Many of these types of dwellings are discussed on the Small Home Society mailing list and on a growing variety of web sites focused on sustainable and ecological building construction.
I'm looking forward to further discussions and will include new information here as the topic unfolds. Please contribute your observations or opinions about truly affordable cohousing in 'comments' to this post.
Review cohousing list discussions
An attempt to summarize various topics discussed at length on the Cohousing-L mailing list is underway on The Cohousing Wiki. One recent topic was modular construction.
The cohousing wiki was created in March 2007 by several list members including Fred Olson of Minnesota and John Faust of Arizona. Since it is done in 'wiki' style, the project will continue to add information and be available for people to edit or update articles.
Since the cohousing mailing list averages from 2 to 50 posts a day, it can be overwhelming, especially if you miss reading it for a few days. Fred also provides archives for the mailing list that are searchable, but you need to be subscribed to the list for access. The wiki makes many current cohousing topics available at the reader's convenience.
"The discussion can be transformed into something more meaningfully organized," said John, " with the possibility that it becomes cohousing knowledge and an evolving resource for others."
The cohousing wiki was created in March 2007 by several list members including Fred Olson of Minnesota and John Faust of Arizona. Since it is done in 'wiki' style, the project will continue to add information and be available for people to edit or update articles.
Since the cohousing mailing list averages from 2 to 50 posts a day, it can be overwhelming, especially if you miss reading it for a few days. Fred also provides archives for the mailing list that are searchable, but you need to be subscribed to the list for access. The wiki makes many current cohousing topics available at the reader's convenience.
"The discussion can be transformed into something more meaningfully organized," said John, " with the possibility that it becomes cohousing knowledge and an evolving resource for others."
Cohousing Conference coming up
The National Cohousing Association of the United States will host presenters, exhibits, cohousers, and potential cohousers on Thursday, June 12 through Sunday June 15 near Boston, MA. It will be held at Bentley College in Waltham, Ma. For conference details, go here.
There will be presentations about everything from the basics of cohousing and designing and building communities, to living in community and sustaining the cohousing movement throughout the country. For those who want to participate, there will be a bus tour of communities in Western Massachusetts and other workshops. The conference has been held six times in the past 10 years. Primary locations have been on the East Coast, with one conference each held in Seattle, Berkeley, and Boulder.
There will be presentations about everything from the basics of cohousing and designing and building communities, to living in community and sustaining the cohousing movement throughout the country. For those who want to participate, there will be a bus tour of communities in Western Massachusetts and other workshops. The conference has been held six times in the past 10 years. Primary locations have been on the East Coast, with one conference each held in Seattle, Berkeley, and Boulder.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Tiny House to Call Your Own
Oikos books has an excerpt from “A Tiny House to Call Your Own - Living Well in Just the Right House” on it’s website here. By Sarah Susanka, the book stands out as a major contribution to the small house movement. If you ever wondered about all the advantages of building small, this is the excerpt to read.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Make ‘Modern Prefab’ Malleable to Masses
“... people may be finally recognizing that there might not be such a great future in 10,000-square-foot McMansions.”Gee, shucks, mame .... Ya think? Maybe? This isn’t the formerly “mundane, ugly architecture” of prefabricated homes. Check out this article (and photo gallery) in the L.A. Times that celebrates the revival of ‘modern’ prefabs, even during the slumping housing market.-- Allison Arieff, founder, former editor,
Dwell magazine, author of “Prefab”
Arieff leads prefab designers Michelle Kaufmann, Jennifer Siegal and Rocio Romero in a panel discussion titled “The Four Women of Prefab” during the annual CA Boom show in Santa Monica, California, per the southern California publication.
Modern, made-to-order prefab could help make an architectural variety of homes available to people who can’t afford what’s currently on the market, Arieff said.
A few more important points in this interview:
- Made-to-order, modern prefabs rely on natural light and ventilation ... expanses of glass, exposed beams and studs
- Prefabs are made with ‘smarter’, more sustainable building materials ... smaller footprint
- Quicker construction time, more efficient use of materials, less waste, money saved
- Make sure there aren’t stipulations against prefab and manufactured homes on your lot
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Portland project combines green, small living
In Portland, Oregon, people work together to get stuff done - or so it says in this article published in the March 2008 issue of Sunset magazine. The article focuses on three couples with 'green' lifestyles. One of the couples is Laura Ford and Josh Devine who are part of a 4-unit infill community called Sabin Green. It consists of four homes on a 75- by 100-foot lot that used to have only a single two-bedroom bungalow and garage. Developed with affordability in mind, Josh and Laura's house cost $143,000 and is 530 square feet. The cohousing project meets two big goals - having a small footprint AND providing a house they could afford.
Multimedia: 21st Century Village
I just came across a link to several nicely produced clips and shorts about the cohousing experience. The multi-media presentation is from YourHealthConnection.com.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
More are Thinking Small
In case you missed it, there is a great article in the Feb. 16, 2007 New York Times Great Homes section about the small house movement. Written by Bethany Lyttle, it includes pictures of many small homes and tells the story of how or why many people are using small homes to take care of a variety of needs.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Building with Interdependence in Mind
Gregory Johnson, coordinator of the Small House Society, is another believer in the combination of small house communities and cooperative arrangements.
He's live for 5 years in the "Mobile Hermitage" -- a 10x7-foot home on wheels designed by Jay Shafer of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. "... I had my home built without a bathroom, shower, or full-kitchen. The house was built with interdependence in mind," Greg said.
"The assurance of an abundant and fulfilling future on this planet will largely depend upon the establishment of sustainable micro communities and cooperative housing/cohousing arrangements," he said.
The house operates entirely from battery power. It is an all-season habitat located in Iowa City, Iowa (for the moment). From Greg's web site:
"...The Mobile Hermitage is designed to be part of a community of tiny houses. Interdependent, freestanding, small houses are very economical to build and maintain. By sharing common resources such as laundry, lavatory facilities, bath house, large kitchen, and activity center, a greater sense of community is established, and significant savings can be achieved."
Many existing cohousing projects share common walls much like an apartment building or condominiums as a way to reduce building expenses and make homes affordable. Units still cost well over $100,000 to $250,000, especially when sustainable (green) options are added.
Although cohousing units usually are larger than Greg's small house, many small house designs (less than 1,000 square feet) cost less than $100,000. Not all of them are as sparse as the Mobile Hermitage, including options such as kitchens, showers, and toilets adapted from R/V and camping industries.
Expense and a perceived lack of privacy keeps some people from seriously considering cohousing. Small homes stand individually (increasing privacy) and let owners build what they can afford. Although not a 'perfect' solution for everyone, the combination makes cooperative living more available to everyone.
Greg has put a lot of thought into how people can live in the world more effectively. His ideas are spread throughout the Resources for Life web site, the umbrella domain for the Small House Society.
The financial economies of building a small house community are discussed here. For example, 10 people could combine their financial resources and spend $20,000 on each house, instead of $120,000. Collectively, they would have $1 million to purchase a shared acreage and build a community center, according to Greg.
(Editor's note: Even when you build a larger small house for less than $100,000, it still provides a savings that can be used for communal buildings and land. I will provide links to many other types of small housing units and hope to find existing communities of small homes. If you know about a project like this, please mention it in your comment to this post. -- mm)
He's live for 5 years in the "Mobile Hermitage" -- a 10x7-foot home on wheels designed by Jay Shafer of the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. "... I had my home built without a bathroom, shower, or full-kitchen. The house was built with interdependence in mind," Greg said.
"The assurance of an abundant and fulfilling future on this planet will largely depend upon the establishment of sustainable micro communities and cooperative housing/cohousing arrangements," he said.
The house operates entirely from battery power. It is an all-season habitat located in Iowa City, Iowa (for the moment). From Greg's web site:
"...The Mobile Hermitage is designed to be part of a community of tiny houses. Interdependent, freestanding, small houses are very economical to build and maintain. By sharing common resources such as laundry, lavatory facilities, bath house, large kitchen, and activity center, a greater sense of community is established, and significant savings can be achieved."
Many existing cohousing projects share common walls much like an apartment building or condominiums as a way to reduce building expenses and make homes affordable. Units still cost well over $100,000 to $250,000, especially when sustainable (green) options are added.
Although cohousing units usually are larger than Greg's small house, many small house designs (less than 1,000 square feet) cost less than $100,000. Not all of them are as sparse as the Mobile Hermitage, including options such as kitchens, showers, and toilets adapted from R/V and camping industries.
Expense and a perceived lack of privacy keeps some people from seriously considering cohousing. Small homes stand individually (increasing privacy) and let owners build what they can afford. Although not a 'perfect' solution for everyone, the combination makes cooperative living more available to everyone.
Greg has put a lot of thought into how people can live in the world more effectively. His ideas are spread throughout the Resources for Life web site, the umbrella domain for the Small House Society.
The financial economies of building a small house community are discussed here. For example, 10 people could combine their financial resources and spend $20,000 on each house, instead of $120,000. Collectively, they would have $1 million to purchase a shared acreage and build a community center, according to Greg.
(Editor's note: Even when you build a larger small house for less than $100,000, it still provides a savings that can be used for communal buildings and land. I will provide links to many other types of small housing units and hope to find existing communities of small homes. If you know about a project like this, please mention it in your comment to this post. -- mm)
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wisconsin cohousing bucks national downturn in home sales
While today's housing market falls apart, cohousing projects in Madison, WI, aren't having problems selling units, according to an article on the Madison Commons web site.
Three cohousing projects already exist in Madison. A fourth in the works is providing a "little shining bright spot in the Madison housing market," a future resident of Arboretum Cohousing said.
Affordable for Troy Gardens was $109,500 for a two-bedroom condo and $139,500 for three bedrooms. The project used federal and local funds and the profits from its 10 market-rate homes to subsidize 30 below-market-rate units. This let sometimes expensive 'green building' elements to be installed in all 40 units.
Habitat for Humanity built one unit in the Arbco Cohousing project.
Three cohousing projects already exist in Madison. A fourth in the works is providing a "little shining bright spot in the Madison housing market," a future resident of Arboretum Cohousing said.
Affordable for Troy Gardens was $109,500 for a two-bedroom condo and $139,500 for three bedrooms. The project used federal and local funds and the profits from its 10 market-rate homes to subsidize 30 below-market-rate units. This let sometimes expensive 'green building' elements to be installed in all 40 units.
Habitat for Humanity built one unit in the Arbco Cohousing project.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Living Tiny with Jay Shafer
My early introduction to the small house concept was via Jay Shafer and his Tumbleweed Tiny House Company in California. He's designed and lived in homes that are less than 100 square feet since 1997.
Living in a home this small isn't for everyone. It is an excellent example of how comfort is created within less space than you'd think possible.
Jay's decision to down-size was motivated by concerns about the environmental impact of a larger house. He also didn't want to maintain a lot of unused or unusable space (for example, lower heating costs, less space to vacuum and dust).
He's told his tale to Anderson Cooper of CNN and on the CBS Evening News, National Pubic Radio (NPR), and Home and Garden Television (HGTV). The list of articles featuring his designs and the small house movement fills an entire page on his web site.
The best way to understand Jay's concepts is to take the tour of his home via YouTube. While there, watch Dee Williams' "dream house" video where she talks about her experience with living simply.
Jay's designs vary from the Biensi, a 70-square-foot home for about $35,000, to the Enesti (770 square feet), a permanently affixed home. Construction estimates are from $100 to $200 per square foot.
Jay conducts workshops for people who want to build tiny homes. He is hosting a workshop weekend in Austin, TX on March 29 and 30. The Building Workshop attendance is free with purchase of a set of plans. Take a look at his 2008 workshop schedule here. Visit Jay's personal residence, the Epu home, in Sebastopol, CA during scheduled open houses.
Living in a home this small isn't for everyone. It is an excellent example of how comfort is created within less space than you'd think possible.
Jay's decision to down-size was motivated by concerns about the environmental impact of a larger house. He also didn't want to maintain a lot of unused or unusable space (for example, lower heating costs, less space to vacuum and dust).
He's told his tale to Anderson Cooper of CNN and on the CBS Evening News, National Pubic Radio (NPR), and Home and Garden Television (HGTV). The list of articles featuring his designs and the small house movement fills an entire page on his web site.
The best way to understand Jay's concepts is to take the tour of his home via YouTube. While there, watch Dee Williams' "dream house" video where she talks about her experience with living simply.
Jay's designs vary from the Biensi, a 70-square-foot home for about $35,000, to the Enesti (770 square feet), a permanently affixed home. Construction estimates are from $100 to $200 per square foot.
Jay conducts workshops for people who want to build tiny homes. He is hosting a workshop weekend in Austin, TX on March 29 and 30. The Building Workshop attendance is free with purchase of a set of plans. Take a look at his 2008 workshop schedule here. Visit Jay's personal residence, the Epu home, in Sebastopol, CA during scheduled open houses.
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