Like H.L. Mencken's puritans, some worry that someone, somewhere, somehow, is increasing their standard of living. Even if they
have do it underground;
Yes, the lowly basement is having a very big moment in South
Bay cities like Woodside and Palo Alto, where underground space has
become an opportunity for a home addition without worry over square
footage restrictions.
"Most cities and towns limit the size of a home, but don't
count underground space in that square footage. Basements are typically
built on expensive lots, often after a smaller house has been razed,
where the owners have maxed out their above-ground space. Adding a
basement maximizes the value of the property," the Chronicle's Kathleen Pender notes.
Basements under houses are rare in California, but land use restrictions and bureaucratic limitations on building, guarantee that they will come to be valued highly.
As the trend grows, so do concerns over groundwater and grading. Both
Atherton and Woodside are actively looking into determining limits for
basement builds.
What would California do without the housing police.
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