Maine Communities Increasingly Allow Granny Flats

Accessory apartments, or "granny flats" provide many benefits to communities—offering affordable housing, bolstering neighborhood stability, and making efficient use of existing housing.

Lynne Seeley reviews accessory apartment ordinances in Maine, highlighting key elements for a community to consider in an accessory dwelling unit provision, such as:

• Occupancy
• Size limits
• Attached or detached units
• Parking spaces and location
• Design standards

In addition to a strong and well-thought out ordinance, community outreach and engagement is important for educating the public and facilitating the process of finding people who would benefit from adding an accessory unit to their home.