The FWD #228 • 726 words

From Pinterest board to your neighborhood

If you’re on a Pinterest board or Tumblr maybe you’ve come across the term “cottagecore.” This term refers to an aesthetic that romanticizes rural life and the design concepts that come along with it. But increasingly, cottages are being pitched as an innovative housing concept that balances affordability with community-centered design: cottage housing developments or pocket neighborhoods. These small-scale residential clusters are gaining traction as a practical response to housing challenges—and they’re tapping into the popular “cottagecore” aesthetic along the way.

But what exactly is cottage housing? Typically, these developments feature clusters of smaller homes (800-1,500 square feet) arranged around shared green spaces. Unlike traditional neighborhoods where homes face streets, cottage homes often face communal gardens or courtyards, fostering community interaction. Parking is usually consolidated away from the homes, eliminating driveways and preserving pedestrian-friendly environments.

Addressing the Housing Puzzle

Housing affordability remains a pressing issue across Virginia. As Leslie Tate, Waynesboro’s Director of Community Development, noted during a recent city council meeting, “Housing affordability is a national, state, regional and local topic of discussion. And one thing I’ve really learned about the topic is that it’s extremely complex and does not lend itself to easy or one-size-fits-all solutions.” Cottage housing is just one tool in the toolbox and a quaint one at that.

Cottage housing offers several advantages in addressing this puzzle:

• Efficient Land Use: By clustering small homes on infill lots, communities can maximize housing opportunities without extensive land consumption. The Cottages of Idlewild in Raleigh, for example, will create 18 affordable units on just over an acre.
• Cost Reduction: Eliminating the need for extensive road networks and individual driveways significantly reduces development costs, making homes more affordable. Utility installations, a significant cost in new developments, are likewise less expensive per unit when residences are clustered.
• Diverse Housing Options: The smaller footprint appeals to various demographics—young professionals, small families, older adults downsizing, or anyone seeking a more community-oriented lifestyle.
• Community Land Trust Models: Some developments, like The Cottages of Idlewild, employ community land trust models where residents own their homes but lease the land, creating perpetual affordability.
• Increased Sense of Community: Shared common spaces provide opportunity for community building while individual homes still provide privacy.

These communities also have the potential of addressing other socioeconomic issues that many Americans face today, such as loneliness and child care. Recently, I watched this YouTube video of a couple who created their own community on a 1/3 acre lot in the San Francisco Bay Area. On this small lot in one of the most unaffordable regions in America, there are 20 adults and 4 children living across six buildings with 10 units total. One of the most appealing things to me was the free child care among friends.

Virginia Communities Taking Notice

Localities across Virginia are exploring cottage housing through zoning amendments:

• In Waynesboro, council approved an ordinance that allows for cottage court housing throughout the city with certain conditions.
• Fairfax County recently recommended approval for The Virginian’s plan to build 24 cottage-style independent living units for seniors.
• Ashland’s Planning Commission approved a cottage court development of nine small homes along a common green space as part of their first new urbanism-focused zoning district.
• Is there a cottage development in your community worth mentioning? Reach out to us!

These projects typically require modifying existing zoning codes that often mandate homes face public streets—a requirement that can make infill development costly and inefficient.

Not Without Challenges

Despite their appeal, cottage housing developments face hurdles. The major challenge they face is local zoning. Density restrictions, minimum lot sizes, setbacks, parking requirements, and the list goes on. All of these serve as ways to stifle creativity and innovation in design. On top of that, NIMBYism is alive and well across all socioeconomic spectrums. If these projects have to go through a public hearing process, their chances of success (or affordability) can be ended before a shovel hits the dirt.

A Piece of the Solution

Cottage housing won’t single-handedly solve Virginia’s affordable housing challenges, but it represents an innovative approach that merges community-centered design with practical housing solutions. As communities across the Commonwealth face housing shortages and rising costs, these small-footprint, community-oriented developments may provide one valuable piece of the affordable housing puzzle—bringing a touch of cottagecore aesthetic to practical community planning.