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Tag Archives: gallerypost
The Granger House: Own Two, Rent One
When I biked up to Bob and Julie Granger’s place I was greeted by their ten-year-old grandson, standing sentinel across the street. The young man asked a few questions about my intent before confiding that it’s great having his grandparents’ house … Continue reading
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Tagged attached, gallerypost, new construction, permitted, portland
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My tiny house after 5 years: things I would have done differently
I’ve written here about how well my tiny house is working out — I converted my detached 1.5-car garage to a little “accessory dwelling unit” and have mostly rented it out to my mother in law since then, though it’s … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
Tagged conversion, design, detached, gallerypost, garage, permitted
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A Sister-In-Law House
Walt Quade has a knack for figuring out a work-around. The design and construction of his own ADU provided several opportunities to hone this skill. When he and his wife started looking for a plot of land on which to … Continue reading
Shawn’s Live-Work Accessory Dwelling
Shawn Busse bought a 950 square foot ranch house on a long, skinny lot with the intention of building an accessory dwelling unit behind it. His plan was to live in the ADU and rent out the front house. He … Continue reading
Reflections on Six Years in “temporary housing”: a mobile detached bedroom
From 2003 to 2009, I lived in a tiny home on wheels located in Iowa City. I built the home with Jay Shafer, proprietor of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company. The Mobile Hermitage, pictured at right, was constructed on a 10′ … Continue reading
Detached Bedroom as Tiny Home
A few years ago I had the opportunity for my mother-in-law to move in with my family in our NE Portland home. We didn’t have space in our home for her, and even if we did it seemed like giving … Continue reading
La Cabina Urbana
Inconspicuous as any other garage, this ADU is an inspiration to me. While it was built as an unpermitted ADU, like 2/3rds to 3/4ths of Portland’s ADUs, it functions like an accessory dwelling unit for all intents and purposes.
The homeowner, whom I’ll call Rachel, purchased the house in large part because of the-ADU potential that she saw in the garage. Upon purchasing the house, she inquired with the city planning department about whether the garage could be converted to an ADU. Based on some pictures of the existing walls/foundation, the city said that the garage was not structurally sound and that the structure/foundation would need to be replaced in order to permit it as an ADU, purchased the house in large part because of the-ADU potential that she saw in the garage. Continue reading
Sabin Green – A community of 2 ADUs and 2 modest homes
Back in 2005, I was trying to figure out how to create affordable home ownership opportunities without public subsidies in a strong housing market.
With a background in affordable housing development and having just completed a small cohousing condominium conversion project, I was interested in models that would support affordability and community within an urban, amenity-rich neighborhood. I had learned about ADUs as a planning student and was intrigued by the possibility of using the condominium legal structure as a way to separate ownership between ADUs and primary residences.
When a property came on the market that could support two primary dwellings and two ADUs, I jumped in with an offer… Continue reading
My garage apartment — a place that redefines family
I’m pretty much an obsessive planner when it comes to big projects. I researched and penciled out a lot of scenarios before I developed my garage into a little apartment, and I’m glad to say that between good design and … Continue reading
My primary residence: profitable ADU and personal palace
Fundamentally, I was seeking a residential living situation that would pay for itself. To me, dwelling in America cost too much. I sought a less expensive way to live in a nice space in an urban area (Portland).
