moderne wrote:Most post WWII lots are way too huge. But how can areas developed like that be infilled?
I know of a really good example. Works great for a row of lower value homes, like they weren't built with good quality materials or have repair costs way more than the home is worth. Plenty of homes have termite damage, rot, foundation issues to the point that you can quickly be into the home more than it will sell for.
Go to Wichita St at Chenevret St in Houston. Look at the NE corner, specifically at Wichita in Google street view. there's older views from 2011 available.
In terms of distance, this is like our near east side. It's near their train so think of someone just east of Troost who could bike to the train on Main.
That block was entirely suburban style homes a few years back. It went from 5x homes to 15x between two projects. It's still market rate single family homes, a common concern of neighborhoods that density will be low quality apartments in a neighborhood of nice houses.
They didn't build 5 story apartments set back 10 feet from the curb that tower over everything. You can find blocks of town homes nearby and they planted trees to screen the size from view.
Go visit N. Oak Village and see how well dense row homes work next to single family homes. This is a neighborhood of $250-350k homes and they've all sold. People are ok with a tall row home next to them when they're built nice to fit the neighborhood.
The key thing, is what does this do for home affordability? Unlike N. Oak village, target zoning (density rules is a part of zoning) to increase the supply of homes at your mid-range by building new homes at $175-225k and help keep existing homes from appreciating in price so much. We can build more 2 and 3 bedroom homes that are smaller. Not every house needs a 14x14 living room, a kitchen big enough to hold an island for 8 people and four bedrooms.