Granny Flats

The city of Vancouver has emerged as a leader in "laneway" housing: secondary units built onto existing lots, often facing an alleyway. To boost supply, the city may expedite permitting for modular units.

October 27, 2016 - Vancouver Sun

The state of California stepped into to make it easier for local governments to approve permissive regulations of accessory dwelling units.

September 6, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

Faced with the task of conforming its "granny flats" ordinance with state law, the Los Angeles City Council yielded.

August 29, 2016 - Los Angeles Times

An op-ed by Daniel Freedman explains how a legal spat over an 850-square-foot "granny flat" affected hundreds of units around Los Angeles. The city's attempt to rectify the problems with its second unit ordinance has encountered more resistance.

August 8, 2016 - Daniel Freedman

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has approved legislation that will allow the construction of accessory dwelling units, potentially adding thousands of units to the city's housing supply.

July 28, 2016 - San Francisco Examiner

Washington, D.C. approved a long-awaited new zoning code in January. Greater Greater Washington digs into one of the new code's more substantive changes: more permissive regulations for accessory dwelling units.

May 11, 2016 - Greater Greater Washington

Building permits for Accessory Dwelling Units have been stopped by court order in Los Angeles.

May 1, 2016 - The Planning Report

Many Maine communities have amended their zoning ordinances to allow accessory dwelling units, recognizing the benefits of this housing option.

April 19, 2016 - Maine Association of Planners Front Page

Granny flats, also known as mother-in-law units or accessory dwelling units, are a hot button item in most cities. A county court recently took the city of Los Angeles' finger off the button, so to speak.

April 10, 2016 - KPCC

Since a zoning code change in 2010, the city of Denver has added 66 accessory dwelling units in a city of 650,000.

January 18, 2016 - The Denver Post

Following the recent example of cities like Vancouver, Austin, and Berkeley, Oakland, CA recently made it much easier for residents to create secondary units, also known as accessory dwelling units.

January 9, 2016 - East Bay Express

Leading other expensive cities in North America, Vancouver, British Columbia is quickly adding accessory dwelling units as a result of permissive regulations approved in 2009.

December 14, 2015 - Citiscope

Accessory dwelling units, granny flats, mother-in-law units—whatever you call them, they're now legal in Austin.

November 23, 2015 - Community Impact Newspaper

Responding to advocates who are calling for granny flats as a potential boon to the city's housing stock, city staff will begin a public engagement process this summer in preparation for possible changes to the city's zoning code.

June 21, 2014 - Minneapolis Star-Tribune

Don't call them granny flats or inlaw units! These are separate units that can only be built on lots of 4,000 sq. ft. minimum. Only 50 have been built or permitted since the trial began in 2006. The goal is to bring affordabllity to SFH neighborhoods

May 28, 2010 - USA Today

Grass Root Efforts to Help Bring Back a Much-Loved Building Form

June 27, 2009 - Denver Daily News