Dive Brief:
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The Seattle City Council this week ruled that new apartments in the city must measure at least 220 square feet and contain at least two sinks.
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“Congregate units,” bedroom-sized apartments built in clusters and allowed only in the city’s densest neighborhoods, may be as small as 70 square feet as long as they come with a shared kitchen, usually for two to eight tandem units.
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Developers opposed the law, saying it will make the micro-apartments more expensive to build, which could cause rents to rise from an average of $800 a month to $1,375.
Dive Insight:
The country’s fastest-growing city, Seattle is the second-most popular destination for recent college graduates, after Washington, D.C. In response to the influx of young, low-income renters, multifamily builders have designed high-density housing projects with tiny units and shared common spaces, like game rooms and rooftop decks.