Cities like Austin, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, and now Seattle are pursuing equity-based agendas for ADUs.
Accessory dwelling units are often seen as a path to missing middle housing, allowing cities to add housing supply to low-density neighborhoods. And in Seattle, they've also been eyed as a tool to prevent the displacement of low-income homeowners. But the city's new Racial Equity Toolkit on Policies for Accessory Dwelling Units [pdf] suggests that ADUs would primarily benefit the higher-income, white homeowners building them.
"The RET found changes to ADU policy would result in race-based disparities, notably that wealthy white homeowners would benefit the most from the proposed policy changes," Natalie Bicknell writes in The Urbanist. "Simply put, White households are significantly more likely to own a single-family home and also have the financial resources needed to add an ADU to their property."
Seattle released the Racial Equity Toolkit alongside its Environmental Impact Statement on ADUs.
FULL STORY: Study Reveals Wealthy White Homeowners Benefit Most from Backyard Cottages
Affordable ADU Builder Hopes Co-Op Model Can Catch On
A worker-owned developer in Evanston uses sustainable materials to build efficient, affordable ADUs to help homeowners create generational wealth.
Tiny Houses—Not a Big Enough Solution
We shouldn’t have to scale down the idea of basic economic security to fit inside the dimensions of a tiny house. But that’s precisely what we’re doing.
Portland Adjusts Residential Infill Plan to Minimize Displacement
Portland wants to add density but doesn't want to displace current residents of low- and middle-income neighborhoods.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response
Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.
The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way
One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.
Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk
High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont