The ADU Movement Grows Around the Country

The movement to legalize accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in cities and states around the country could have a not-insignificant impact on the housing crisis, writes Ben Ikenson in Yahoo News. “In the last four years, U.S. housing prices have skyrocketed by 47 percent, and longstanding housing shortages culminated in a deficit of more than seven million homes last year, ‘the result of more than a decade of underbuilding relative to population growth,’ according to Realtor.com.”

Now, seven states and more than one hundred local jurisdictions have taken steps to relax regulations around ADUs and promote their construction.

In the first two years after a law supporting ADUs passed in California, close to half of the permits for ADUs were issued in the Los Angeles area. The city has embraced the trend, developing a set of pre-approved plans homeowners can use to cut down on design and permitting costs. “Like its potential uses—multigenerational living, aging-in-place, generating rental income, and more—the housing type comes in various forms. In L.A., garage conversions represent a significant percentage of ADUs, but the state allows for a wide range of ADU possibilities, from fully detached stand-alone structures to junior suites attached to main houses, with separate entrances and kitchenettes.”