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Mikel Jaso for Business Insider
There’s a well-known joke about two elderly women lamenting the poor quality and small portions at a local diner. A similar sentiment can be expressed regarding housing in many parts of the United States: available homes are often bland, monotonous, nearly indistinguishable from one another, and in alarmingly short supply.
The uniformity of American residences and the concerning scarcity of new constructions may appear to be separate issues; however, they are intricately linked. Stringent local building codes and land-use regulations have imposed rigid constraints on the dimensions and designs of new housing developments. This has resulted in both a significant shortage of available homes and an uninspired aesthetic across those that do exist. In most residential zones, developers are permitted to construct only detached single-family houses—typically accompanied by spacious front yards. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this type of living arrangement, individuals seeking alternative options find themselves with limited choices. In high-demand regions, working-class families increasingly face a complete lack of viable housing alternatives.
This situation is not inevitable. The notion that single-family homes must remain the exclusive legal option for construction is outdated. By introducing greater flexibility into our housing design regulations, we could cultivate diverse living environments throughout our cities—ensuring that every household’s needs are met with unique options available to them.
A Legacy of Uniformity
In the aftermath of World War II, the homogeneity seen in American housing contributed significantly to a surge in new home construction that transformed society into one centered around homeownership. In planned communities like Levittown, New York—and its numerous replicas—developers rapidly erected thousands of nearly identical single-family residences for returning veterans and their families. The similarity among these homes allowed builders to mass-produce them using prefabricated materials as if they were creating an entire neighborhood from standardized blueprints.
However, this uniformity eventually drew criticism—as highlighted by Malvina Reynolds’ 1962 song “Little Boxes.” Initially beneficial for keeping construction costs low enabled developers to sell these properties at affordable prices for young families; it later became problematic as cities began enforcing such sameness across their landscapes.
As urban areas opted to uphold this standardization rather than allowing developers to create housing tailored specifically for community needs, many municipalities established norms dictating that detached single-family houses were suitable for all demographics regardless of income or family structure preferences. When local authorities mandate this as the sole permissible form within most city limits, they inadvertently restrict how many residents can comfortably reside within those areas.
A striking example can be found in Los Angeles where approximately three-quarters (75%) of residentially zoned land was designated exclusively for single-family dwellings as recently as 2021—a decision leading directly towards severe shortages in available housing stock alongside escalating homelessness rates while also contributing significantly towards overcrowding issues recognized nationwide.
Diversity Is Essential
To illustrate what embracing diversity might entail: consider metropolitan Tokyo—a region adept at managing its real estate costs even amidst population growth nearing fourfold since WWII ended! Tokyo boasts an eclectic mix comprising detached houses alongside attached row units plus small-to-midsize apartment complexes culminating ultimately into towering high-rise structures—all showcasing various architectural styles unlike anything enforced upon American cities today!
The key factor behind such variety lies within Japan’s more relaxed approach toward land-use regulation compared against America’s convoluted zoning classifications which number well over hundreds! Instead Japan operates under merely thirteen categories encompassing eight residential zones along with two commercial ones plus three industrial types organized vertically permitting multiple uses per lot based upon intensity levels!
- Permit Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs): Many jurisdictions should follow California’s lead by allowing ADUs—smaller residences sharing lots with primary structures enabling homeowners additional rental opportunities or space accommodations!
- Simplify Apartment Building Regulations: Legalizing smaller-scale apartment buildings featuring just one staircase would drastically lower construction expenses while facilitating development on compact lots leading ultimately towards more family-oriented apartments being constructed!
- Simplify Elevator Codes: As noted by Stephen Smith from Center For Building North America elevators have become overly complex & costly; aligning U.S standards closer toward European models could yield smaller yet affordable solutions where needed most effectively!
- Abolish Minimum Parking Mandates: Numerous municipalities enforce requirements mandating off-street parking spaces per unit even when situated near public transport routes thus stifling innovation around multifamily developments lacking sufficient parking provisions altogether!
- Create Cohousing Opportunities: Historically prevalent boardinghouses & SROs provided low-cost living arrangements but now face illegality across vast swathes leaving few alternatives behind except dilapidated remnants still standing today…
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