Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - Top Content

John Pattison
John Pattison
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"Making Normal Neighborhoods Legal Again"

The growing movement to end exclusive single-family zoning—as Oregon just did in its cities—is not a radical or untested experiment: it’s a return to a historical norm. The actual radical experiment is the strange notion that a neighborhood should be required to contain only one type of home.

"If You're Going to Allow ADUs, Don't Make It So Hard to Build One"

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are a quintessentially Strong Towns approach to urban growth and affordability issues: bottom-up, decentralized, incremental, scalable and adaptable. Unfortunately, a litany of restrictions often makes them an unappealing option even where allowed.

"Legalize Accessory Commercial Units"

Accessory Commercial Units spur entrepreneurship and build a city’s prosperity. The problem? Many zoning laws make them functionally illegal.

"Accessory Dwelling Units: A Flexible, Free-Market Housing Solution"

Accessory dwelling unit legalization represents a low-profile free-market solution that requires little from government actors beyond getting out of the way.

"Strength Test: Are Accessory Dwelling Units Allowed In Your Town?"

In your town, is an owner of a single family home able to get permission to add a small rental unit onto their property without any real hassle? If not, you've got work to do.

"How to Navigate the Obstacles of Building an Accessory Dwelling Unit" (Podcast)

In this episode of our old podcast It’s the Little Things, Jacob Moses chats with Caitlin Bigelow—Founder of Maxable Space—about how you can build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), including how to check the required zoning, encourage your peer that ADUs are a strong way to build your neighborhood, and discover the benefits beyond passive rental income.

"A Strong Towns Response to Homelessness"

Homelessness is an issue that we as Strong Towns advocates should care about. Put simply: your town is not strong if some of your residents lack homes. How can we get there in a practical and lasting manner?

"COVID-19 and the Boom in Multigenerational Housing" (Podcast)

As senior care facilities are hit hard by the pandemic, homebuilders say interest in ADUs—and other multigenerational housing options—is exploding. 

"We Used to Just Call These 'Houses'"

We used to have a different name for the modest dwellings that now get labeled “tiny houses.” For most of history, this was simply a house—a low-cost way for people to put down roots in a place and begin to grow some wealth for themselves and the neighborhood.

"As Americans Age, the Need for Greater Housing Options Grows"

For the last seven decades, the dominant development pattern has focused on meeting the perceived needs of families with children. It’s time for a change.

 
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