The pocket neighborhoods legislation recently passed by New Castle County Council is signed into law.
Pocket neighborhoods are groups of smaller detached housing units oriented around a common open space like a courtyard, garden, or walkway, and they’re sometimes referred to as cottage communities.
The law amends the Unified Development Code by creating a new type of housing development option.
County Executive and Gov.-elect Matt Meyer says this legislation was a collaboration between the county’s Department of Land Use, Housing Advisory Board, and home builders.
"To make sure we made regulations in law that protects the public while at the same time, incentivizing and providing opportunities for developers to build more homes. Hopefully it's lucrative enough so that they do it quickly."
It will permit gross densities higher than what is currently available to help address the need for more affordable housing options in the county.
"The pocket homes legislation enables communities to be built beautifully, but at much lower cost. So you have 1200, 800, 1800 square foot homes, self-standing homes, detached homes around the common space, the common area,” said Meyer. “We did this in collaboration with the home builders, who seem real excited about building some neighborhoods like this."
Meyer notes this is part of the county’s plan to address affordable housing needs.
He adds the Land Use Department developed a Housing Now program that looks at creative ways to reduce regulatory burden on home builders to build more homes, bring down prices and rents for Delawareans.