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

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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