Making Infill Easy: Pattern Homes and Pre-Approved Plans

Creating new homes and new housing options is not only a critical piece of addressing local housing needs, but also an important part of maintaining and adapting neighborhoods over time. Although abstract discussions of "density" and "infill development" can spark opposition, referencing specific and familiar designs can both win support and bring down the cost of development.

A local pattern book of single- and multi-home construction plans that reference existing local building traditions is one way to show community members and policy makers how new development will fit into and add to existing neighborhoods. By pre-approving construction plans for those patterns, municipalities can both make them the easiest infill option and make the development process more accessible by reducing pre-development time and costs.

This presentation highlights multiple approaches, including local initiatives in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and South Bend, Indiana. Presenters share case studies from a statewide program in Michigan and an emerging shared library of plans that communities can use to develop their local pattern books.

NPC Peer Reviewers assigned this presentation a learning level of Advanced. For more on learning-level descriptions, visit our General Information Page.