In Seattle, Detached Garages May Be Approved For Apartments

30 June 2006 - 6:00am

With an aim toward affordable housing and helping homeowners pay their mortgage, Seattle considers allowing backyard apartments, much to the chagrin of local opponents.

"The City Council will consider a proposal this week to allow such apartments in Southeast Seattle as an experiment, despite protests from other parts of Seattle, where activists consider the plan a step toward permitting 'backyard houses' citywide.

The debate, while centered on the appearance and character of individual streets and neighborhoods, goes further. It offers a glimpse at the challenges of creating affordable housing in Seattle, where 70 percent of the land is zoned for single-family houses, and land for apartments is scarce and increasingly expensive in the rush to build upscale condos."

Source: The Seattle Times, June 27, 2006
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Density is a complex concept that includes measured density, perceived density and crowding of a given area.