>I meant actual basement houses or houses built below ground. Similar in appearances to if you started a house and built the entire basement, but then never finished it (and just plopped a roof on it). It stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer. That is no longer allowed though - I think they stopped allowing basement houses in the mid 80s (or earlier than that).

I really wonder why would that be forbidden. What happened to the freedom of building what you want on your own land? I don't see how such a house would hurt anyone.