Accessory Dwelling Units
Code Reforms to Ease the Housing Crisis
Ten recommendations for zoning code changes that could make housing more affordable.
The Return of ‘Catalog Homes’
Sets of pre-approved housing plans can lower construction costs, shorten timelines, and encourage more badly needed housing production.
With New ADU Rules, Anchorage Leading U.S. Zoning Reform Efforts
Anchorage recently passed a package of laws that will allow accessory dwelling units in commercial and residential zones, and, in a rare move, on residential lots with existing multi-family housing.
Arizona Housing Bill Fails in State Senate
The bill would have eliminated some parking requirements, legalized more types of affordable housing, and promoted increased housing production.
More ADUs Than Single Homes Being Built in Seattle
Permits for accessory dwelling units jumped by 250 percent between 2019 and 2022.
Huntington Beach Mounts Legal Change to State-Mandated Density
The Orange County beachfront community has had enough of the California State Legislature’s preemption of local zoning laws.
San Diego Expands Transit Oriented Zoning From a Half-Mile to a Mile
A recent package of code changes by the city of San Diego will make it possible to build high-rise residential buildings and accessory dwelling units in larger areas around public transit.
Op-Ed: Boston Needs Zoning Reform Now
The Boston Globe’s editorial board calls on the city to take on citywide zoning reform to boost housing construction and revitalize areas that have faced historical underinvestment.
Santa Barbara Expands ADU Program to Boost Housing
The city hopes that permitting larger ADUs and making adaptive reuse easier will help it meet its state-mandated goal of building over 8,000 new housing units by 2031.
Taking the ADU Model to the Next Level
How can we get more accessory dwelling units built, keep them affordable, and make them a force for increasing racial equity?
Pre-Approved ADUs Now Available in Sacramento
The city of Sacramento is making it easier to develop accessory dwelling units.
Op-Ed: Seattle’s ADU Rules Leave Long-Term Renters Out in the Cold
One resident argues that adding a unit for long-term rental is too expensive and difficult, especially when compared to the city’s ‘super easy’ process for permitting a short-term or vacation rental.
Proposed San Diego Code Update Seeks to Increase Density Near Transit
A set of proposed updates to the city’s development code would expand TOD zones and encourage more backyard dwellings.
Raleigh Launches Pre-Approved ‘ADU Gallery’
The city wants to streamline the process and lower construction costs for accessory dwelling units in order to boost the city’s housing supply without dramatically altering neighborhoods.
When Zoning Reform Isn’t Enough: How To Boost Missing Middle Housing
For upzoning efforts to result in a significant rise in new housing units, cities and states must do more than just change zoning codes to ensure missing middle housing is easy and affordable to build.
Napa County Announces Forgivable Loans for Affordable ADU Rentals
Homeowners in the county will be eligible for the loans if they comply with affordability requirements for five years.
That ADU Would Make a Nice Airbnb
An Airbnb co-founder is jumping in the pre-fab backyard cottage game—but will too many ADUs become short-term rentals to make a difference for housing costs?
Jacksonville Legalizes Accessory Dwelling Units
The city expanded the areas where homeowners can build ADUs in an effort to boost housing supply and affordable rental units.
San Antonio Debates ‘Casita’ Regulations
The city wants to incentivize the construction of backyard dwelling units, but some councilmembers want to proceed cautiously to ensure the policy benefits local homeowners.
Do Owner Occupancy Requirements Constrain Housing Supply?
Born out of a fear of absentee owners and rapacious investors, owner-occupancy requirements can have the contradictory effects of excluding renters from neighborhoods and limiting the number of rental units available.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
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.
