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Housing affordability is a major problem facing cities across the country. In response, local governments are increasingly exploring ADUs as feasible solutions to expand affordable housing options. ADUs, also known as “granny cottages” or “in-law units,” are standalone living spaces that sit in addition to a primary residence. As smaller dwellings with their own entrance and amenities, they can provide affordable housing while preserving the integrity of a neighborhood. There are many benefits of an ADU: It provides an additional source of income for homeowners; it’s cheaper than building new apartments; it has less impact on infrastructure like roads and water; and it can be completed relatively quickly and cost-effectively.
What is an ADU?
An ADU is a small, affordable dwelling unit that is attached to or detached from a single-family home. ADUs can be in a variety of forms, including a single-story addition, a basement unit, or a standalone cottage. While the details can vary greatly, ADUs often share the following features:
- Affordable to build and maintain
- ADUs can be built on existing lots that are zoned for single-family residential homes, and are less expensive than constructing new multi-unit buildings. ADUs can also be added to existing homes without requiring additional infrastructure or utilities, so they can be a lower-cost solution compared to adding new units in separate buildings
- Compact and efficient floor plans
- Single-family homes are typically smaller than multi-unit buildings, so ADUs can provide housing that is appropriate for smaller households. ADUs can also be designed to fit on lots that are too small for additional houses.
- Flexibility in design and use - ADUs can be designed to meet the needs of homeowners and prospective tenants. They can be single-story units that incorporate accessibility features, or have separate entrances and utilities from the main house.
How do ADUs help affordability?
Like the other forms of affordable housing, ADUs provide additional options for people who are looking for a place to live. Unlike large apartment buildings, ADUs are smaller and more easily integrated into existing communities. They are also less expensive to build and maintain. A single-family home with an ADU, for example, is far less expensive than a large apartment complex, as it requires fewer materials and has fewer maintenance costs. Furthermore, ADUs can be built on smaller lots, which means they can be added to existing neighborhoods without gobbling up extra land. As a result, ADUs can be a cost-effective solution to expand housing options without adding to the strain on an area’s infrastructure.
Why are ADUs an effective solution?
ADUs offer many benefits that make them a smart and sustainable solution for expanding affordable housing.
- Affordable to build and maintain
- Building an ADU is less expensive than constructing new multi-unit buildings that are necessary to house larger numbers of people. ADUs are also less costly than adding additional units to an existing home, since this would require structural changes and additional utilities.
- Less impact on infrastructure
- Building ADUs on smaller lots and with less material means that their impact on public infrastructure, such as roads and water, will be lower than multi-family developments. With fewer units overall, ADUs are also less likely to overwhelm local services such as fire protection, sewage systems, and power grids.
- Quicker to build and less subject to red tape
- Generally, ADUs are less regulated than multi-unit buildings. They can be built on existing lots and don’t require the same review process as larger developments. Additionally, the smaller scale of ADUs means they can be built in less time than those larger developments.
Bottom line
Building more housing is a crucial part of any city’s strategy to improve affordability. ADUs can be an effective tool to add new units to a city’s housing stock. Compared to large apartment complexes, ADUs are smaller and easier to integrate into existing communities. And since they are less expensive to build, ADUs can be a cost-effective way to expand the city’s housing stock. All of these benefits make ADUs a smart and sustainable solution for expanding affordable housing across the city.
