It looks like such a sweet home. But once you know the history of this pie slice-shaped dwelling, you'll see why it's nicknamed the Seattle Spite House and you'll learn there are laws to prevent you from intentionally building to block views, light or access that your neighbor enjoys.

Washington State spite law

Malicious erection of structure may be enjoined.

An injunction may be granted to restrain the malicious erection, by any owner or lessee of land, of any structure intended to spite, injure or annoy an adjoining proprietor. And where any owner or lessee of land has maliciously erected such a structure with such intent, a mandatory injunction will lie to compel its abatement and removal.

In legalese - forgive me - an act like that is called a "malicious erection."

Still, there are so many examples of cranky citizen's constructions to irritate adjacent landowners that Wikipedia has an entry for both a spite house and the less-expensive revenge, a spite fence.

Warring neighbors have painted exterior walls garish colors, posted unsightly signs and tried other ways to pique the people nearby. But it's expensive, and now illegal, to block with a vengeance.

The tiny Seattle spite house at 2022 24th Ave. E, which is now listed for sale at $519,900, was built in 1925. Stories of its origin vary, but all focus on serious payback.

The most popular rumor centers on a wacky divorce case in which a judge awarded the house to the husband and a sliver of the property - the 3,090-square-foot front yard - to the wife.

Some say out of spite, she squeezed a pie slice-shaped structure onto her odd corner lot, which dictated that one end only be 55 inches wide. In this mini mudroom, you can stretch out your arms and touch opposite walls.

The footprint widens a little in the cramped kitchen, but not enough to stand in front of the oven and open the oven door. The living room in the center of the triangle house offers more elbow room. Finally, at the end, the master suite is a luxurious 15 feet wide.

Hallways? Forget it. But there is a daylight basement/garage conversion. Buried beneath the main floor is a bedroom and bath that benefit from carriage doors that open to the outdoors. The center of the subterranean space is a cozy seating room. At the almost pointed, narrow end is an elevated platform with a mattress. Tiny house dwellers would feel right at home here.

At 860 square feet, the listing price breaks down to $605 a square foot, about three times the median in Portland.

That's pricey. So is the idea of constructing a wall or something larger to retaliate. Building codes and expenses squelch many planned spite houses. Instead, may we suggest calling a neighborhood mediator?



- Janet Eastman



jeastman@oregonian.com

503-799-8739

@janeteastman



