I finally spoke with the Portland Development Commission, the body responsible for the Urban Renwal Area programs.  The good news is that there are two different tax breaks I could qualify for.  To do so, I have to create a lot first... no way around that anymore.

Today I went down to the Bureau of Development Services and dropped off my $385 check for an assistance consultation, just for help dividing the lot.  Since the zone doesn't permit a narrow street frontage ("flag lot") I have to petition for an exception, and I need all the help I can get in making them happy with the plans so I'll be approved.  I already know I have to make the lot super tiny to avoid being required to put 2 homes in, but there's even more factors, includiing how I set up the driveway and landscape the place.  My appointment is June 29th.

The "linkroll" at the left has changed, as I work on expanding the online presence for my green design interests.  I'm also trying to reduce my exposure to Google, with some help from an article at Zenhabits.  So far, I like Diigo for bookmarking, but it's almost the same as Delicious.  If you'd like to follow the content I find that relates to sustainability, instead of Google Reader, you can see them at the left here, or by using the RSS feed link below the "recent finds" section.

Next, the plan is to have business-type accounts on Facebook and Twitter, to update people about my projects.  But first I'll work on making more news to report.

A few factors are delaying the plan, but I'm still keen on building with containers.  Paying for it will be easier next year, and in the meantime, I can work on some other projects.  But being able to divide the lot is turning out to be an issue: Portland doesn't provide for flag lots anymore, at least not in the 2a zone that the property is in.  I might be able to ask for one as an exception, but first I'm going to talk to the PDC and the Portland Green Building office to see what the urban renewal area and my sustainabile goals might do to help.  There are other issues I didn't anticipate, but the lot split is the big hurdle.  If I leave it all as one lot, then defaulting on the loan would mean the whole property gets foreclosed.

 Hybrid Seattle is still the design firm for my project, and they're working on the latest design concept.  Both of us want to go for a maximum cost-efficient design, and they have a way to do that in mind that can be re-used for other container buildings.  I'm hoping to have the estimate to do the one-story home soon, because things will move pretty quickly after that.  In the meantime, I'm going to visit the permit office to find out how and when to split the lot.

It looks like the first step of construction will need to be the porch for my parents' house, because it provides storage that the garage is serving as now.  I'm going to need to make some measurements and check into code, to see what kind of detail they need before I can get a permit.  Naturally, I'll ask about that too, when I go in to check on lot division.

 I have a dollar amount for my home.  It's higher than the $200k that I was sort-of expecting, but it includes everything except the washer/dryer, and contingency buffers for going over-budget.  Important decisions like how to cover the interior walls still are needed, but the big holes are figured out.  I talked to the contractor, and we'll be able to figure out how to bring cost down from the current number as we work to flesh out the plan.  But at least I can work on getting approved for this loan amount, and then start pulling permits while we flesh out the details.

Since the plan is to be able to sell or rent the two homes separately at some point, I'm going to have to divide the lot for the container house project.  The garage has to go, and that will leave the main house with less property, and more urgenty, less storage.

First, I had thought to build a small shed at the east end of the main house, for bikes and yard tools.  My mom made the excellent points, though, that we don't want the lot to look crowded, and putting a shed by the patio will block one of the few remaining planting beds.  Even my idea to have a storage container partially hidden behind the demolished garage won't do: still too much visual obstruction, and it's on the back lot so it won't belong to the main house.

It may seem like things have been stagnant with the container house project lately, but they haven't exactly.  My contractor, his subs, the design & engineering firm, and the suppliers have all been working on price quotes for their various pieces.  Since this isn't something that gets built every day, the costs aren't as predictable as your typical house.  We should be less than a week away from a rough construction budget, so I can give drawings and a number to my bank to see if they'll help me pay for it.  I'm more than a little anxious about that part, for obvious reasons, but I look pretty good on paper.