How Multifamily Housing Can Survive the Pandemic

Are multifamily housing and density doomed? Are people going to be repulsed by the idea of riding an elevator, sharing a common entry, or touching a handrail?

Deryl Patterson, president of Housing Design Matters says no and writes about three types of attached housing—paired villas, townhouses, and stacked flats—that all feature private egress and outdoor space.w

Paired Villas can have private entries, light on three sides and private outdoor space. Townhouses with front-loaded garages offer private space to the rear while alley loaded townhouses offer better density and front porches. Stacked flats can bypass the common stairwell with private first floor entry for second-floor units.

So, there are several ways to achieve multi-family units that are acceptable in our post Covid-19 society. Now the question for multi-family builders is how long will buyers be elevator and common corridor phobic? Only time will tell.

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