Tangible Ways You Can Support Space-Efficient Housing

Build Small, Live Large Summit 2015 (photo credit: Love Ablan)

At the Build Small, Live Large Summit on Friday, November 6th, the five panelists in the Space-Efficient Housing Policy Round Table (Eli Spevak, Jean-Pierre Veillet, Danell Norby, Liz Getty, and Rachel Ginis) did an excellent job describing the regulatory challenges they face in their daily work as they attempt to create small homes. They also presented clever solutions to address or work around these challenges and left the audience with tangible ways they could support space-efficient housing. A member of the audience asked us to make the list available online and we thought that was a great idea, so we’ve obliged. Read on and pick an action item to help us promote small housing choices! Also be sure to read the How to Stay Involved in the Small House Movement by Billy Ulmer, published by Portland Alternative Dwellings.

• Be an awesome ADU neighbor.
• Be a YIYBY (Yes, In Your Backyard!) neighbor – when you see other people building ADUs on their property go say “hi” and encourage them to keep up the good work!
• Submit a case study of your ADU (contact us).
• Coordinate an ADU Tour of your home (and/or coordinate with other ADU owners).

Portland, OR Residents

• Show your support for a 5-year ADU SDC extension. Digitally sign this form to show your support for a 5 year SDC extension. It will only take you 30 seconds. This will be submitted to Portland’s City Council for their consideration. Read the two-page letter that explains why Portland should extend the SDC waiver for 5-years.
• Educate yourself by taking the ADUs for Homeowners Class taught by Kol Peterson.
• Attend the Residential Infill Advisory Committee Meetings (1st Tuesday of the month). Stick around for open public testimony at the end to share 2-3 minutes of how Portland could go further to encourage ADUs, tiny homes, and other discreet forms of urban infill. One idea under consideration is to allow both and internal and external ADU – so folks speaking up about that great idea would be super.
• Fill out an on-line survey about residential infill between now and January 12, 2016.
• Join the Space-Efficient Housing Workgroup.
• Engage in advocacy to Fight Back Against Multnomah’s New Detached ADU re-MAV Policy. Join the Google Group if you’re an ADU owner adversely impacted by the Re-MAV and Multnomah County’s new taxation system.

Here’s a little update from Kol about the Multnomah County tax change:

For ADU owners, prospective homeowner/builders, builders, designers, we’re organizing through Google Groups. You can request to join here: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/multnomah-tax-change. Once you join, you can post questions or comments to the group. So whether you just completed your ADU, or you are in design, construction, or working in the industry, you’ll be able to keep up on the various actions being organized. Those that were hit by new taxes this year are preparing a group appeal, but there are political actions that are likely to happen, so you can keep up to speed with that issue through this Google Group as well.

About linamenard

Hi. My name is Lina Menard and I'm a small house dweller, designer, blogger, and builder. I'm currently collecting ADU Case Studies for AccessoryDwellings.org. Through my company Niche Consulting LLC, I help people design and build the home (and life) of their dreams! I also tell my stories about simple living in small spaces - like a travel trailer, a yurt, a backyard cottage, and tiny houses on wheels - at Niche News.

View all posts by linamenard →