As part of my internship with Orange Splot, LLC, I've been doing case studies of accessory dwelling units in Portland and guest posting on the Accessory Dwellings website. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are separate living spaces on the same property as a larger house. They're also called mother-in-law apartments, granny flats, or backyard cottages. Sometimes they're build in attics or basements or over a garage. I think ADUs are a brilliant way to increase density, utilize existing infrastructure, build community, and provide housing flexibility and adaptability.
Here are the Accessory Dwelling posts I've written:
The system development charges (SDCs) that make building an ADU cost prohibitive for most
families have been waived until 2013. This can save families thousands of dollars! So I'm working with a group of space-efficient housing advocates to share ADU stories so that people consider building ADUs while the fees are waived. We're hoping that if we can show that there's a demand for them the waiver will continue, making ADUs an affordable and efficient development strategy.
This week several space-efficient dwellings were showcased on a tour as part of the Living Future Unconference. Several more ADUs will be featured on the ADU Bike Tour I'm coordinating on Sunday, June 10th as part of Pedalpalooza.