Filling the "Missing Middle" of Housing
STRATEGY #1: Incentivize Investment in Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) __________ "This strategy alone will not solve any single issue, but the cumulative impact of this strategy across multiple
social, economic, and ecological issues is incalculable.”
__________ Why ADUs? C Homeowners add Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) for many different reasons. For some homeowners
it is an income-generating investment. Some enjoy the benefits of multi-generational living. Others realize both the health and economic benefits of caring for loved ones at home, and others invest in an ADU to secure those benefits for themselves in the future. In any case, adding an ADU is an investment. C Many communities prohibit ADUs. However, legal or not, almost all communities have ADUs "tucked in."
Why Incentivize Investment in ADUs? ______ In urban areas, ADUs help fill the housing gap for entry-level millennials, people with disabilities, veterans, service workers, and others who prefer small rental units near employment centers and health services.
In rural areas, ADUs help fill the housing gap for multi-generational farm families and farmworkers. C
The Social, Economic, & Ecological Benefits of ADUs ______ For decades, researchers and policy makers across the country have promoted ADUs as an important component of a comprehensive housing strategy. More recently, researchers have identified multiple social, economic, and ecological benefits of ADUs:
______ Social Benefits of ADUs:
• Increased housing choice near employment centers ______
• Increased housing choice for multi-generational families ______
• Increased access to goods and services for people who are mobility challenged ______
• Increased opportunities for seniors to “age-in-place” and "age-in-community" ______
• Increased neighborhood “walkability” & safety
Economic Benefits of ADUs:
• Help revitalize distressed neighborhoods ______
• Increase patronage of neighborhood business ______
• Support generational transition of family farms ______
• Increase employment and small business start-ups _ in the residential construction industry
Ecological Benefits of ADUs:
• Reduce development pressures on natural resources ______
• Reduce commuter hours & CO emissions ______
• Smaller dwellings = less energy use ______
Why So Few?: An Unmet Market Demand for ADUs C Over the years, many municipalities have mounted ADU initiatives. None have produced enough ADUs to meet even a small fraction of the demand suggested by survey research and census data. Most recently AARP reports that 31% of adults would consider adding an ADU:
Three Barriers to ADUs: ______ Researchers have repeatedly identified the same three barriers to successful ADU initiatives: ______
________1. Municipal codes that discourage ADUs ______ ________2. Lack of financing options for construction of ADUs ____ ________3. Lack of technical resources useful to the average homeowner
______ Overcoming the Barriers: The National Incentivizing Investment in ADUs Initiative _____ Design Coalition Institute and the Wisconsin ADU Coalition are part of a multi-state, multi-sector partnership working to overcome the three barriers to ADUs: The National Incentivizing Investment in ADUs Initiative.
We are:
#1: Developing an ADU professional education program for municipal officials. ______
#2: Facilitating a series of multi-sector roundtables to develop new financing options for ADUs. ______
#3: Developing a website with ADU technical resources for homeowners.
Accessory Dwelling Unit Bike Tour
(8.5 minute YouTube video) A fun and very informative video documentary of an ADU Bike Tour organized by our ADU colleagues in Portland Oregon. Includes interviews with homeowners, architects, and planners and tours of five very different types and uses of ADUs. Used with permission by www.accessorydwellings.org a one-stop resource for all things ADU on the West Coast.
We welcome the support of local businesses and organizations
Design Coalition Inc, Architects • Home Savings Bank • 1000 Friends of Wisconsin
