4 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Give Carriage Homes a Shot
Veronica Dagher hits the nail on the head in 'Entry-Level Homes Are Still No Bargain' (The Property Report, May 28). In Noblesville, Ind., where I serve as a city councilor, I'm working to legalize carriage houses. Our 202-year-old city embraced these small, secondary units until zoning codes eliminated them. The wheel doesn't need to be reinvented when the solution is, literally, already in our own backyard. These units cost considerably less than single-family dwellings and create accessible points into and out of homeownership while preserving neighborhood character. They also have the potential to provide rental income to help property owners afford their mortgages.
Few cities and towns are immune from rising material costs and expensive land. But we control zoning and permitting. We should expand housing options without compromising community character.
