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We live in the only subdivision in Houston that has city alleys (as versus, for example, townhome projects with a back alley to the garages). Full size streets, with alleys running behind them.
Absolutely love it. You drive in & out thru the alley, park from the alley, put your trash in the alley, all utilities are in alleys. The front of the street is for houses. Sure, there are a few cars parked on the streets. But not many, and hardly any street traffic compared to if we had driveways facing the street.
Our alleys are asphalted. They're 11-14' wide, so not really roomy, but big enough for cars (and garbage trucks!). Most people fence the back of their houses facing the alley, plus driveways & garages, so they're fairly secure. Hardly any crime.
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Originally Posted by SFBayBoomer
Could you post some neighborhoods in Texas that have this feature? Zip codes? I can "Google-walk" it, perhaps.
77005. Check out the intersection of Sunset & Hazard in that zip for typical alleys.
Could you post some neighborhoods in Texas that have this feature? Zip codes? I can "Google-walk" it, perhaps.
Texas Ave and Cincinnati Ave in San Antonio (78201) have alleys. My husband's grandma lived there and his uncle had the house behind hers across the alley, so all summer during the daytime he and his cousins ran back and forth across the alley. He said at night the cops would sometimes be driving the alleys with searchlights on, chasing someone. The alleys were something he and his cousins were afraid of at night.
If you want an upscale neighborhood with alleys, some of the houses off Perennial in 78232 have alleys. Those alleys are well maintained because the driveways and garages are back there.
Also, Eastley Dr. in 78217 has alleys. They used to be pretty overgrown when my friend lived there, but the garbage truck still picked up through the alley, so it had to be clear enough for the garbage truck to get through.
My retirement town is criss-crossed with alleys from the old West days, because, I believe, there were not good-sized houses but lots of shacks and cabins and it wasn't worth it to have a full road to front to those houses. People now use them to walk through town (there are no sidewalks except on the main street). Someone has put up artwork and poems along the alleys which is kind of charming. The building code for the "historic residential" area doesn't allow snout garages in front so maybe some bigger alleys are used for car access, but most are more like footpaths.
An alley gives criminals a second option when casing your home and when removing your belongings. I've never had a house with one and I don't feel like I missed out on anything special.
I think you are right. My first house had one and I did once chase an intruder off the back screened in porch. It is an unobstructed view.
I grew up with an alley behind our houses. Someone broke into our neighbors house at Christmas time, took a sheet off a bed, and filled it up with all their Christmas presents from under the tree. But part way down the alley they threw the whole thing down, so the family got their presents back. It was basically a nice area though, and it was nice having your backyard more private by not backing up to other houses. Also the trash was always out of sight. The rode was paved.
Check the plot plan. Alleys are generally public right of way and owned by the city. Anyone can use it, though there is probably a city ordinance about blocking it for over 20 minutes or so.
I grew up in a home with an alley in the back. Ironically many of the homes had garages in the front, though some had boats in the backyard. It was a good playground for us kids.
A neighborhood that I'm interested in has many homes with dirt alleys in the back. It's an older part of town with small bungalow homes, and I could describe it as bohemian rustic. The state is way out there in the old west.
Having an alley out back is interesting and exotic to me as a girl from the NY 'burbs. I'm used to paved roads, lawns and sidewalks in front of the tract housing.
What's it like living in home with an alley in the back? What purpose does the alley serve, and do these properties belong to everyone, or no one? I see no garbage or cars in the alley using Google Maps. Can I walk in it, or should I fear it?
I will probably have to build a garage and the car would back out into the alley.
Check the ownership of the alley before making any plans. In our town there are several unpaved alleys. Some of them do not show up on any land records. They exist by common consent. That works fine until one of the property owners near the entrance decides to build a fence (or more substantial structure) across the alley.
The ones in our town are generally used for occasional/seasonal access to the back of the property. Bringing in loads of firewood, removing items stored in the back for the winter, etc.
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