Can ‘cottage courts’ provide more affordable housing in Madison?

A new form of housing could be coming soon to Madison: the “cottage court.”

Under a proposal to the City Council, Madison would allow clusters of up to eight small detached homes of up to 1,000 square feet — typically one to 1.5 stories in height oriented around a greenspace or courtyard — in all suburban residential and most traditional residential zones, excluding high-density urban residential areas.

Madison is one of the latest cities across the country to consider permitting cottage courts as municipalities wrestle with housing availability and affordability. Housing experts see cottages as a piece of the so-called “missing middle” level of housing between single family homes on one end of the density spectrum and apartment complexes on the other...

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Leo’s notes: Madison’s move to legalize cottage courts is exactly the kind of gentle, incremental density cities need if they’re serious about affordability without sacrificing neighborhood character. Clusters of 6–8 small homes around shared green space can open up ownership to teachers, service workers, downsizing seniors, and multigenerational households — people who are currently priced out of single-family districts but don’t want (or need) a big apartment building. The challenge will be making the numbers pencil out on land and construction costs, but if Madison pairs this zoning change with land trusts, tax-increment tools, or nonprofit partners, cottage courts could become a real “missing middle” option instead of a curiosity.

Ken Notes: We also need to consider design and amenities as we increase density. Like nicer apartments, smaller or manufactured homes can be very comfortable to live in.