LDMRs: When a house is like a condo

The Seattle Times reports on a new type of housing that "has sprouted like mushrooms" in Snohomish County, Wa., which is north of Seattle.

The single-family homes are dubbed "air condos" and "LDMRs" (for low-density multiple residential zoning) because they are tightly packed like condos. All common space within this flavor of development is owned by a homeowner's association, though the dwellings do not share walls.

While the homes are affordable and popular, some city officials and neighbors aren't too pleased with the density, which is allowed by county policies but typically is prohibited by local cities, according to the article.

Edmonds, Wa., Mayor Gary Haakenson said in the article, "It's awful what's happening. County policies are allowing for twice the unit growth and the density growth that the cities would allow."

Meanwhile, a resident who lives in a development that features 36 homes in a three-acre development told the newspaper, "Being able to get into a new house for what we can afford was really great. I think the development's really cute. It has that feel of a community."

Developers in other rural-fringe communities, too, have looked to similarly maximize the number of units per acre while keeping homes affordable.

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