Will the Pandemic Open the Door Wider to ADUs?

Ever since This Old House built a backyard accessory dwelling unit (ADU) behind a stately house on Hubbard Street in Concord, MA (Season 25), it became clear to me that ADUs could be quite a bit more than just a tiny place to crash for college students or problematic Uncle Ray. This beautiful cottage would be a great place to live for most of us post-kid, and the tiny house industry has been maturing and creating a range of smaller dwellings that are decked out in high-end finishes.But as a Bloomberg article notes, ADUs could be poised to experience a new niche, to serve as safe spaces for a parent or family member during the Covid-19 emergency. Of course, these types of units have long served as spaces for those cohorts, but the emergency has made this option much more attractive and perhaps urgent, for those who can afford them, of course.

Another recent article in the New York Times is explicit about the value of ADUs during a pandemic and that one's parents could be significant beneficiaries of having one. Having a secure and safe place for parents or other loved ones rather than dependency on a less than intimate corporate facility is very attractive to many families as the piece indicates.Two key challenges noted both in the NYT article and a book the article cites, Backyard Revolution: The Definitive Guide to ADU Development by Kol Peterson, are local regulatory impediments and cost, with some overlap between the two. 

Local zoning may create barriers including the permitting process which may require a special permit, requirements that the property owner live on the site consistently, limits on who may live in the units, size limitations, minimum property sizes, and other criteria. Financing ADUs can be a challenge, especially with all of the limits placed on the units and who may occupy them. Harvard has allowed two different types of ADUs, conventional and affordable, but the market has not yet taken advantage of these local options. In the spring of 2021, the Harvard Planning Board will be proposing several amendments to the Protective Bylaw that will make it easier to build ADUs for seniors. One measure increases the size of an ADU from 1200 s.f. to 1500 s.f. since many seniors have expressed a desire for housing that is of at least that size. Second, Harvard will be encouraging housing built according to age-appropriate design criteria which includes at least one zero-step entrance, doorways with a 36-inch clear passage space, and several other measures.

While this measure is just one of several upcoming amendments to be proposed to increase senior housing opportunities, it could be an important one for those seniors who want to remain close to their families and have a measure of independence and privacy in a familiar set of surroundings. For further information about all of the steps the Planning Board plans to consider related to senior housing, visit the project web page HERE.