The Urban Land Institute (ULI) recently published a report titled "The Macro View of Micro Units", which shares the latest findings in the revived trend of micro dwellings in the United States. The report arose from a ULI Foundation research grant that the Multifamily Housing Councils received in 2013 to evaluate the market performance and acceptance of small living spaces.

↑ The 23-unit SMARTSPACE SoMa micro apartments at 38 Harriet St. in San Francisco.

Bill Whitlow, a partner of Terra Search Partners, led the ULI Research Committee that wrote the 46-page report. The Committee worked with ULI Multifamily Council members as well as other developers, operators, and design professionals familiar with micro unit developments in conducting interviews. The findings were presented at the ULI's annual fall meeting in New York.

The report focuses especially on high-density and pricey metropolitan cities like New York, Boston, Seattle, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. The prefab SMARTSPACE SoMa micro apartments in Berkeley, CA is one of the many micro-unit projects included in the report. The development was built on a former 3,750 sq.ft parking lot and includes 23 units, which are a compact 295 sq. feet each.

↑ SMARTSPACE SoMa micro apartments at 38 Harriet in San Francisco.

↑ Interior of SMARTSPACE SoMa micro apartments at 38 Harriet in San Francisco

Topics that the report addresses include: best practices and innovative design strategies, necessary/desirable community amenities and services, locational characteristics, operating experience, and construction and operational costs. It also includes details on resident/consumer feedback and the future outlook of the micro unit trend.

Read the full report here.