 Dwelling Types Overview
Well-designed affordable housing strives to use a dwelling type(s) that has some relationship to the historic or adjacent types in a community, but is adapted or updated to the needs of contemporary life. It is therefore useful to understand the basic types that are available and choose the type(s) that are most appropriate for a specific development.
The book Good Neighbors: Affordable Family Housing recognizes 16 different dwelling types as illustrated in this drawing.
In the index below, these 16 dwelling types have been organized into four basic categories and put in order in terms of increasing density. To get an idea of what these dwelling types look like in the real world, just click on any of the projects listed under each heading. This will take you to the Design Advisor's Gallery of High Quality Affordable Housing, a compendium of well-designed developments from across the U.S. Not all the specific dwelling types are represented - and some are combinations of one or more types - but, in general, the example projects should give a good idea of what each type looks like "on the ground."
A. Single-family house
B. Single-family plus secondary unit
C. Single-family plus cottage
D. Two-family "house" (duplex)
E. Three-family "house" (triplex)
F. Multiple-family dwellings in large "house" (multiplex)
G. Clustered detached houses/cottages on single lot
Group 2 - Attached buildings, outside entrance to each unit from street or courtyard.
H. Row Houses
I. Two to four (or more) vertically stacked units (flats)
J. Courtyard Housing
K. Alley housing over garages
L. Walk-up apartments
M. Low-rise apartments (maximum 5 stories)
N. Mid-rise apartments (6-15 stories)
O. High-rise apartments (over 16 stories)
Group 4 - Residential use above other uses; usually Group 2 or Group3 dwellings over commercial premises.
P. Mixed-use
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