Cobb County Votes To Limit Crowded Houses
July 25th, 2007 . by Knox BardeenI often drive through neighborhoods, where my clients are thinking of buying a house, to get a feel the neighborhood. I like to look at traffic in the morning and evening, how residents keep their lawns and upkeep their homes. I will also, on occasion, get out and speak to a few of the home owners in the neighborhood. Do you want to know one of the complaints I hear a lot? “There’s always 8 cars parked outside.”, or “There are 10 people living in that house.”
When a home turns into a boarding house it can detract from the neighborhood in many ways. It can congest traffic, increase noise, cause a buyer to not choose your home that’s for sale and sometimes just flat out lower your property value. Well, the Cobb County Commissioners just voted to cut down on these crowded houses.
Under the new law, no more than 6 people can live under one roof. And more importantly, one one person per 390 square feet is allowed to live in any house. That means no more than 4 people could live in a 1,600 square foot house.
I hope this legislation will catch on in more markets. I mean, really 6 people per residence is totally reasonable, and you’re completely right - having a “boarding house” in a neighborhood can make the neighborhood a tough sell for potential buyers.
I agree with the spirit of this bill but I have a wife and 2 kids. If for some reason my sister lost her house and she had to move in with us, with her two kids, until she was back on her feet - then I would totally want her to do so.
So that would be 7 of use crowded into my house. I would hate to think that there are laws being passed that would make outlaws of folks helping family in times of hardships.
Well, you could seek a permit from the county in that situation. The county has said they would be willing give permission to go above the set limits if circumstances warrant the need to do so.