I live in a neighborhood that was built after Louisville put in streetcars in the 1890’s. It’s mostly single family homes on narrow urban lots. But there are some lots with what look like really big houses. The age and architecture are the same as all of the surrounding houses. It’s only when you look closely that you can see it’s a six-plex. Nothing about them detracts from the surrounding neighborhood. Excellent examples of middle housing, but 120 years later, we’ve lost the mojo to build like that.
this is a good post and a quick primer to a housing sentiment problem! i’d offer a thought experiment: is housing a place to live or an investment vehicle? irrespective of zoning changes, it cannot be both.
For most of us, housing is a place to live. But for some, it builds generational wealth (rehab, new construction, renting rooms, renting entire homes, etc.).
I live in a neighborhood that was built after Louisville put in streetcars in the 1890’s. It’s mostly single family homes on narrow urban lots. But there are some lots with what look like really big houses. The age and architecture are the same as all of the surrounding houses. It’s only when you look closely that you can see it’s a six-plex. Nothing about them detracts from the surrounding neighborhood. Excellent examples of middle housing, but 120 years later, we’ve lost the mojo to build like that.
this is a good post and a quick primer to a housing sentiment problem! i’d offer a thought experiment: is housing a place to live or an investment vehicle? irrespective of zoning changes, it cannot be both.
For most of us, housing is a place to live. But for some, it builds generational wealth (rehab, new construction, renting rooms, renting entire homes, etc.).
Doesn't that make it both?
it can’t be both when we’re deciding priorities _community wide_. individually sure — but how, then, do we venn these diagrammes?