Move over tiny houses, the next big Seattle housing trend is the ‘Backyard Cottage’. While Seattle is in constant need of more affordable housing, property owners are taking the reins and building cottages in their backyard to rent out or use for guest space.
Earlier this year, a proposal was released by City Council-member Mike O’Brien with guidelines that will make it easier for homeowners to build Backyard Cottages. Despite urban density being widely recognized as good for the environment and economy in urban centers there is opposition to the proposal. This proposal hopes to bring thousands of affordable units and with less disruptive construction. The DPD report estimates there are about 75,000 single-family homes on lots are that are currently eligible to build cottages.
What defines a Backyard Cottage? Curbed Seattle has answered common questions and given us some helpful tidbits to know before building your own. Just make sure you follow all the guidelines before getting started.
