Granny flats, mother-in-law units, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or secondary units—whatever you call them, more and more cities, regions, and states are making it easier to deliver subtle density in the backyard.
Billy Ulmer writes of the broadening appeal of accessory dwelling units (ADUs):
Long seen as a novelty in real estate development, ADUs are experiencing a new wave of interest from organizations as diverse as Smart Growth America, Sightline Institute, and AARP.
Major cities like Austin, San Francisco, Seattle, Los Angeles, Nashville, San Diego and Minneapolis have made recent legislative changes to make ADUs easier to build. The state of California followed suit with a new law that took effect in January of 2017.
After explaining this mother-in-law friendly form of infill housing, Ulmer goes into more detail about how and where ADUs are catching on as one potential solution to skyrocketing housing prices. There are also forthcoming events focusing on ADUs and their various forms. The "Reinventing the Home" event will be held on October 23, 2017 in Washington, D.C., and the "Build Small Live Large Summit" will take place in Portland, Oregon on November 3-5.
FULL STORY: Why small will soon be large
Accessory Dwelling Units Gain Legislative Momentum in Denver
Accessory dwelling units, also known as granny flats or mother-in-law units, gained a critical foothold in Denver earlier this month, and the Denver City Council is already maneuvering for more.
An Online Portal for Designing Accessory Dwelling Units
The ADUniverse website offers pre-approved designs for homeowners who want to add Accessory Dwelling Units on properties in Seattle.
ADU Ordinance Ready for City Council Scrutiny in Chicago
Chicago residents will have the option of building coach houses or convection units if a new law passes as written through the Chicago City Council.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Washington Legislature Passes Rent Increase Cap
A bill that caps rent increases at 7 percent plus inflation is headed to the governor’s desk.
From Planning to Action: How LA County Is Rethinking Climate Resilience
Chief Sustainability Officer Rita Kampalath outlines the County’s shift from planning to implementation in its climate resilience efforts, emphasizing cross-departmental coordination, updated recovery strategies, and the need for flexible funding.
New Mexico Aging Department Commits to Helping Seniors Age ‘In Place’ and ‘Autonomously’ in New Draft Plan
As New Mexico’s population of seniors continues to grow, the state’s aging department is proposing expanded initiatives to help seniors maintain their autonomy while also supporting family caregivers.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service