At a time when costs are escalating and homes that were recently attainable by many have moved out of reach of most, housing shortage is a huge challenge.
We used to allow homeowners to operate commercial businesses on their property. By and large, it worked. We can do it again. Say hello to “accessory commercial units.”
Home-Based Businesses Could Save the Post-Pandemic Economy
Seattle s city council considers reducing arbitrary and exclusionary limits on home-based businesses. March 8, 2021, 10am PST | Diana Ionescu |
In California, the humble garage-based business has been elevated to the level of myth by the Silicon Valley giants who tout their early, heady startup days working out of their home garages. With the pandemic causing tectonic shifts in how and where we work, writes Ray Dubicki in The Urbanist, garage businesses provide one more lifeline for struggling entrepreneurs and small businesses. Yet in some cities, outdated zoning codes prevent many businesses from being legally conducted in homes. In Seattle, zoning code excludes all sorts of uses throughout the 75% of the city that’s strictly zoned for single-family detached homes. The concept of home occupations, activists argue, is outdated and harmful to both small businesses and the vibrancy of neighborhoods.