Transcript Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit Accessory Dwelling Units.

Accessory Dwelling Units
(ADU)
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
What is an ADU?
• An Accessory Dwelling Unit is a secondary
housing unit on the same property as a main
residence.
• ADUs are also called accessory apartments,
in-law apartments, family apartments, or
secondary units.
• ADUs are not duplexes :
– Size of ADU is subsidiary to the main residence
– Owner of ADU usually lives on the property
• ADUs are self-contained
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Why consider an ADU
bylaw?
• Shrinking household size
• Rising real estate costs
• Aging population
• Neighborhood stability
• Character of neighborhoods
• Environmental benefits
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
What does it do for you?
• Municipality:
– Increases tax revenue
– Minimizes subsidies required for affordable
units
– Maximizes use of existing infrastructure
and services
– Keeps growing and aging families together
– Preserves of existing housing/historic
structures
– Promotes safer and stable neighborhoods
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Who benefits from ADUs?
• Homeowners – rental income
• Middle-income tenants – more units
• Local businesses – employee housing
• Real estate firms – rental stock
• Residential contractors – remodeling
• Lending institutions – home
improvement loans
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Affordable ADUs
• Local Initiative Program can be an
instrument for affordability
• ADU qualification conditions for MA
Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI)
– Unit approved by local bylaw and DHCD
– Unit occupied by income-eligible tenant
(≤80% of area median income)
– Unit rented at affordable price over term of
control
• For SHI details, contact Department of
Housing and Community Development at
www.mass.gov/dhcd
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Who typically chooses to build
ADUs?
• Older singles/couples
• Middle-aged "empty nesters"
• Younger singles/couples
• Single working parents
• People who travel often
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
How and where are ADUs
built?
•
Apartments in single-family homes
•
Additions to homes
•
Conversion of garages or barns
•
Free-standing cottages
•
Designed into new construction
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADUs and Neighborhood Type
Traditional Neighborhood Blocks
Features:
• Shallow lots, with or without
alley
• Carriage houses and garages at
the back of the lot
• Original carriage houses small
single bay buildings
• ADUs sited along alley frontage
or rear property line
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADUs and Neighborhood Type
Transitional Neighborhood Blocks
Features:
• Pre-war grid blocks with preand post war housing
• Deep lots
• Garages located in rear yards
• ADUs placed within garage zone
in rear yards
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADUs and Neighborhood Type
Suburban Neighborhood Blocks
Features:
• Cul-de-sac blocks
• Small yards
• Parking in front of lot with
20’ driveway parking
• ADUs sited in rear lot areas
on bigger lots and/or garage
conversions
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADU Option 1: Apartments
within Single-Family Homes
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADU Option 2: Additions to
Single-Family Homes
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADU Option 3: Conversion of
Garages, Barns, Outbuildings
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADU Option 4: Construction of
New Outbuildings
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
ADU Option 5: Designed into
New Construction
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Regulation of ADUs
• Zoning ordinance/bylaw
– Specifies ADU conversion standards
• As-of-Right
– For interior alterations
• Special Permit
– For exterior changes and out buildings
• Licensing
– Periodic appraisal of ADU via renewal or for
change in ownership
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Issues relating to ADUs
• Eligible tenants
– Can be restricted to family members, lowincome; or unrestricted
• Maximum persons or bedrooms allowed
– Varies between 1 to 2 bedrooms with up to 3
people
• Homes eligible for ADU’s
– Need for restricting ADU’s to certain
percentage?
• Permitting
– Special Permit, Site Plan Review or by right
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Issues relating to ADUs
•
•
•
•
•
Minimum lot size
Maximum interior floor space of ADU
Setback
Ingress/ Egress
Wastewater and stormwater
management
• Parking
– Consider allowing waiver if transit is a
reasonable option
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Issues relating to ADUs
• Recording at the Registry of Deeds/ Land
Court
– Can submit the document to the
Building Commissioner prior to issuing
an occupancy permit.
• Annual compliance/ temporary status
– No requirement for annual compliance/
renewal. Instead, use change in
ownership as trigger for renewal of the
ADU.
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Launching an ADU program
• Resident task force
– Data gathering
– Community support
• Sponsoring organization
• Education for homeowners
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Summary of ADU Benefits
• Creates new housing using existing
infrastructure and services
• Reduces energy consumption
• Generates community dollars
through home equity
• Reduces costs for the elderly
• Preserves housing stock and
neighborhood stability
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Selected MA communities
with ADU bylaws
• Case studies
– Pelham, rural community
– Lexington, suburban community
– Northampton, urban community
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Additional Information
• MA Housing Partnership (MHP)
http://www.mhp.net
• MA Department of Housing and Community Development
(DHCD)
http://www.mass.gov/dhcd/
• Background on Subsidized Housing Inventory
http://www.mass.gov/dhcd
• Older Americans Act website
www.aoa.dhhs.gov
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units
Additional Information
• ‘Taking the Initiative – A Guidebook on Creating Local
Affordable Housing Strategies’, CHAPA and MHP, Chapter 3,
pp. 49-51 (March 2003)
http://www.mhp.net/uploads/resources/
taking_the_initiative_guidebook__ch._111.pdf
• ‘Granny Flats Add Flexibility and Affordability’, New Urban
News Ithaca, NY, New Urban Publications, (2001)
http://www.newurbannews.com/accessory.html
• ‘Accessory Apartments’, Leo L. Cram, Missouri Gerontology
Institute, University of Missouri (1993)
http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/
aging/gg0014.htm
Smart Growth / Smart Energy Toolkit
Accessory Dwelling Units