A cross between a tiny hotel room and a dorm room, micro-housing apartments have proved enormously popular in Seattle’s close-in neighborhoods: more units have been built here than anywhere else in the United States.

This fascinating article (part of a series by Politico Magazine’s Sara Solovitch) provides insight into how this phenomenon has happened so quickly here, where single person households exceed 40% of the city’s total households (in comparison with about 25% nationwide).

It’s not a new concept – just re-envisioned for the 21st century. In the downtown Seattle of the 1970’s and early 80’s there were lots of small hotels that rented rooms by the week or month to long-term tenants. Our main YMCA at 4th and Marion did the same.

All of those old residential hotels are long gone now – though here’s a story about one that may be making a comeback – and the new micro-housing is catering to a very different demographic.

My daughter lived in some pretty tiny apartments during her 6 years in Asian cities like Beijing and Shanghai. What about you? Would you ever live in a micro-apartment? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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