Many single-house examples already exist in Berkeley. A type of group living, they're also known as Co-Living, Mini-Dorms, or simply living in a house with roommates. I've written more about Double Duplexes here, with some example floorplans ordinaryhomes.blogspot.com/2023/07/doub... 9/
The latest on Double Duplexes in this article by @henrygrabar.bsky.social. They're common in Los Angeles, especially near the University of $outhern California, where most students live off-campus. bsky.app/profile/henr...
thank you for spelling the school's name correctly
Cal taught me well 😂🐻
Another Double Duplex article, this one from @futureis.la bsky.app/profile/futu...
Lots of academic and general interest articles written about Double Duplexes - does anyone know if there's an article that follows more the format of a business plan, with timeline, cost calculations, etc? If not I might write one.
Since most new homes built in Berkeley are rental apartments, there's a shortage of homes for sale. As a result, townhouses are likely to be popular under Middle Housing. Using state law SB684/SB1123, a lot can be subdivided so that each townhouse is on its own piece of land. 10/
Known as Small Lot Subdivisions in Los Angeles, this type of townhouse project is becoming popular in Silicon Valley as well. Parking is hard to fit on a 50-foot wide lot, however, if two lots are combined, it's easier to do a shared driveway. ordinaryhomes.blogspot.com/2023/11/slot... 11/
The 8+8+2 maximizes the number of homes without needing the Density Bonus or going to mid-rise construction. In Phase 1, an 8-unit building with extra storage space is built. Phase 2 converts the extra space into 2 ADUs, adds 8 ADUs in a 2nd building. Mostly studios & 1-bedroom apartments. 12/
The Density Bonus project has slightly more homes than the 8+8+2, and these homes are also larger - this example has two-bedroom and three-bedroom apartments. To get the maximum bonus using state law AB 1287, both low income & moderate income units are included. Roof deck provides open space. 13/
While Berkeley does have a few examples of mid-rise buildings on a standard house-size 50' x 100' lot near campus where rents are high, the space taken up by the stairs and hallways makes this type inefficient. Single stair reform could change that. ordinaryhomes.blogspot.com/2023/09/poin... 14/
More likely, the 6-story density bonus buildings will be built on double lots - similar to how the building of Berkeley's 1960s mid-rise apartments also involved merging lots and replacing 2 or more houses. This size of building is currently being built near campus in Southside R-SMU zones. 15/
Wow I'd be thrilled if any of these density bonus examples are feasible and actually get built!
I think they are, as similar buildings are being built in Berkeley's commercial zones and R-3 and R-SMU zones high density residential zones.
Shared driveways: Silicon Valley's forced communal living hack.