Already-built Katrina homes and cottages are featured on the website Tiny House Listings. Plans for constructing a Katrina cottage can be found on the website of the cottage’s designer, Marianne Cusato.
Cottages constructed after Hurricane Katrina retail for approximately $18,000. Plans for a cottage cost approximately $850. The price of a plan includes the permission to construct it. Construction of a Katrina cottage can cost between $136,000 and $160,000, including the cost of contractors, supplies, and local permissions. This estimate does not include the cost of purchasing land and installing the cottage’s foundation.
Katrina cottages were constructed in response to the paucity of shelter for Katrina victims. They were planned as pleasant, durable alternatives to FEMA trailers that could establish an aesthetically pleasing community. However, they were never widely used since municipal planning boards opposed their building. In addition, people were hesitant to accept the lesser amenities of a Katrina cottage since they were ready to return to suburban neighbourhoods with huge houses.
Katrina cottages and homes are making a comeback as a result of the tiny-house movement. Those who aim to save money on utilities by living in smaller spaces seek them out. However, their construction is frequently obstructed by city planning commissions who fear that small, affordable homes may attract undesirable residents and so reduce property values.
