91 / A model for communal workforce housing / with Matt McPheely

Matt McPheely — developer of the Union House project in Greenville, South Carolina — is in good traffic this week to talk about building flexible housing that helps move a city's workforce closer to jobs, in a city not usually known for experimental cohousing developments.

From navigating zoning codes and neighborhood opposition to designing adaptable homes that work for both single families and roommates, Matt shares on what it takes for small-scale developers to build solutions in places like Greenville.

Timeline:

00:00 Matt McPheely is in good traffic.

00:54 Union House in Greenville, SC — the backstory.

02:23 Why “co-living” needed a new vocabulary.

03:35 From subdividing land to building something new.

05:20 Designing homes that fit the neighborhood.

07:01 Adaptability: single-family or roommate-ready.

09:13 Navigating neighbors, zoning, and misconceptions.

11:27 Timeline and roadblocks — small developer challenges.

14:02 How Greenville’s new zoning code enabled the project.

16:19 Crowdfunding and community response.

17:44 Who lives at Union House? Teachers, restaurant staff, hospital employees, etc.

19:11 Partnering with local institutions.

22:26 Replicating and scaling the model.

23:32 Why en suite bathrooms matter.

25:15 Parking, cars, and transit in Greenville.

27:29 Inspirations and influences.

29:58 Lessons from living in Spain — walkability and community.

34:52 What to look for in a zoning code.

38:10 Greenville as a case study for mid-size cities.

41:02 What’s next: more Union Houses + a community hub project.

42:23 Wrapping up.

Further context:

On Union House (via Boyd Architects).

On the current state of the development.

Follow Matt, on LinkedIn.