"Once I heard about the plan not only for the common areas but for the green aspects, I got excited," says Sowler, a nurse who handles medical claims. "This is what we need to be doing in our homes. We need to build smarter and not larger."
Todd and Jeannette Staheli and their two children live in a 1,000-square-foot cottage at Greenwood Avenue in Shoreline. After four years in their previous home, built in 1923, they still didn't feel like part of a community.
They know their neighbors at Greenwood. Kids play in the common area. Weekly potluck dinners bring everyone together. Need someone to water the plants or feed the fish? Ask neighbors. Plus, their utility bills have dropped by half.
"We have less than the square footage of the typical American home," Todd Staheli says, "and I'm sure we have less than half the hassle."
