ADUs: Good For Housing Diversity But Not Affordable Housing

Accessory Dwelling Units, fondly referred to as ADUs, are good for housing diversity, but increasing their number will not increase Norwich's stock of affordable housing. That is the conclusion of the report* prepared by Dartmouth students and presented to the Planning Commission at its last meeting.

Fonzie's ADU

What’s an ADU? Think of a garage apartment, in-law suite, backyard cottage, basement apartment, granny flat, or carriage house.** In essence, an ADU is a is a secondary housing unit on a single-family residential lot. 

Garage apartments are called "Fonzie Flats" in Australia (H/T  Norwich Director of Planning Rod Francis), because "The Fonz" from television series Happy Days lived in one. Quiz question: what 60s television series features a newspaper reporter and anthropologist living together in a garage apartment in California? Answer below. (Thanks again to Rod Francis.)

The Norwich rules regarding ADUs are in section 4.14 of the zoning regulations. Among other requirements, the floor area cannot exceed 50% of the "floor area of the principal dwelling, or 1,600 square feet, whichever is less." One of the units needs to be owner occupied, although a one-year waiver is possible.  Septic capacity is another big consideration in adding an ADU. 

Expansion of the number of ADUs in Norwich has been talked about as a way to modestly increase affordable housing in Norwich. The Dartmouth students' report says no, observing that most "ADUs will rent at market rate …, keeping them out of reach of  low-income residents in need of affordable housing." In addition, owners of ADUs in Norwich might use them for short-term rentals, listing them for example with Airbnb.

Nonetheless,  promoting ADUs is a way to increase the types of housing in Norwich. "If you look at housing affordability this way -- as a continuum -- then I would say ADUs contribute to the goal because they increase the number of housing units available for rent in Norwich and because the monthly housing costs of accessing this housing are likely to be lower than that of most newly available single-family homes," said Planning Commission member Jeff Lubell expressing his personal views in an email.

Expect to hear more about ADUs as the Planning Commission develops the Town Plan.

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*   Accessory Dwelling Units In Norwich, Vermont, Investigating ADUs as an Affordable Housing Solution was written by Dartmouth College undergraduate students Emily Schneider, Paulomi Rao, Justin Kramer, and Michael Morck II, under the direction of professors in the Rockefeller Center.

**  One website lists over two dozen names for ADUs: The many and confusing synonyms for ADUs.

Quiz answer:  My Favorite Martian. According to Wikipedia, Uncle Martin is "a 150 year old anthropologist from Mars" and Tim O'Hara is "a young newspaper reporter." 

Originally posted on HereCast on: 06.05.2019