| Need a new summer home or home for your | | | | housing after hurricane Katrina hit the southern |
| in-laws? A Katrina Cottage might be just the thing. | | | | United States and the gulf coast, the cottages |
| Developed in response to one of the worst | | | | were meant to supplant the ugly and |
| natural disasters this country has ever seen, | | | | impermanent FEMA trailers that filled ravaged |
| these sturdy little go-anywhere homes are now | | | | cities and outlying areas after the storm. More |
| available at the retail level and are providing a | | | | than 200,000 homes suffered major damage and |
| range of unexpected alternative housing solutions | | | | 50,000 homes were obliterated by the storm. |
| as far from the Gulf Coast as Minnesota. The | | | | Because the devastation was so widespread and |
| good design of these adaptable cottages make | | | | the need for housing so great - proponents of |
| them attractive to people looking to develop | | | | the Katrina Cottage movement realized that if |
| vacant land, build a modest home or add value to | | | | speed in rebuilding were the main priority, |
| an existing property. Uses include: | | | | "revitalizing" the devastated historic communities |
| - lake front house or mountain home | | | | of the south would leave behind a landscape that |
| - place to shack up while building a larger | | | | lacked style to say the least. |
| residence or building on undeveloped land | | | | Sparked by discussions at the Mississippi Renewal |
| - income generating guest house or rental | | | | Forum in 2005, designers quickly got to work on |
| - practical in-law house or house for returning | | | | the problem: designing a house that: |
| children | | | | - could be built for as little as it costs to provide a |
| - student housing | | | | FEMA trailer |
| - they also make fabulous green homes for | | | | - could be built quickly |
| people looking to reduce their environmental | | | | - could stand up to hurricane force winds, |
| footprint. | | | | earthquakes and other natural disasters |
| The concept of buying your home in box isn't | | | | - met all international building codes |
| new. In 1908, you could buy a house kit out of | | | | - could be delivered as a manufactured house, |
| the Sears cataloge for as little as $107. It's | | | | modular house, kit house, panelized house or as a |
| estimated that 100,000 DIY homes were picked | | | | site built house |
| out of the cataloge, delivered by train and | | | | - and above all - it had to look good. |
| assembled by eager families between 1908 and | | | | The first designs emerged just months after the |
| 1940 all across America. | | | | storm in 2005. In sync with the architectural |
| All the plans and materials for a Katrina cottage | | | | traditions of Louisiana and Mississippi - the classic |
| can be had for as little as $30K, but the house | | | | details, nine foot ceilings and quaint front porches |
| requires its own foundation and in most cases - a | | | | elevate these mini-homes far above the tin-can |
| professional builder. Still, the average cottage can | | | | ambiance of the FEMA trailers. They can be |
| be up in less than two months and some can be | | | | produced, transported and erected in a timely |
| up in less than a week. Though some of the | | | | manner. Easy and cheap to heat, steel framed |
| award winning designs take up a scant 400 | | | | and concrete lined, they can also withstand almost |
| square feet, they're designed for expansion. Over | | | | anything you can throw at them including 140 |
| time, the small homes can be added on to. | | | | mph winds and a ton of snow. Combine these |
| HEY LITTLE HOUSE - HOW COME YOU LOOK | | | | qualities with their recent availability online through |
| SO GOOD? | | | | Lowes stores in the US, and we may be seeing a |
| Created in response to the need for emergency | | | | lot more of these mini-homes in years to come. |