Granny Flats- ADU’s “Accessory Dwelling Units” in your backyard

[michelek]

With our recent city council upheaval it now looks promising that building ADU’s by right will be allowed. Does anyone here have one? What do you use it for? Does Granny stay there? It seems to me like the uses could be varied. From a backyard rental for added income to a literal Grandmother who doesn’t mind a house on the smaller side. Maybe a home office or hobby shop? Most ADU’s look like Tiny Houses from what I’ve seen coming out of Portland or Seattle. Does it increase your property value? Would you get paid back for it when you sell?
The Fonz lived in an ADU...
What is an ADU? https://www.buildinganadu.com/what-is-an-adu a link to an article that explains the variety of ADU’s.

 

[Senator]

Minneapolis is also doing it. They can be used as a rental and supplement your income, as most will be.

It's all in the manner of getting more housing, which is designed to lower prices.

 

[Scrapr]

The neighbor next to my MIL built one. She had a designer draw it. He specializes in ADUs. It is 2 story, small but with nice well thought out touches. I like it a lot. She came in and remodeled & cleaned up a hoarder house. Moved into that house. Then built the ADU & moved back there while renting the main home. For about a year she rented out her ADU on Air BnB but was a bit friustrated at the return. So she quit Air BnB this year

I have discussed doing an ADU on MIL property to replace the garage. I'm not quite sure she could get all she wants on one level there. And I don't think she will do it

For a year or two building an ADU generated a revaluation on the main home in Portland. A tax appraiser was really reaching on that aspect. And it got put to bed by outrage and public pressure. Around the corner from MIL was an old crappy home. Builder tore it down and built 3 nice (smaller) homes there. Probably 1.5 million for all three. Vs probably $300k for the tear down home. It was a bit easier to get three there because it's on a corner

I'm not totally up to date on Portland ADUs but I think there is a program to keep them out of the Air BnB pool. So longer term rentals are available

Bend is also encouraging ADUs

 

[tb001]

We have a version of this. A small studio with a bath and kitchenette. DH is using it as his office, but it was a big selling point when we bought the house. It’s been great when we have guests and in my mind it’s a backup if we need extra income or my mom needs a place to stay.

 

[Teacher Terry]

It went before the council for our older neighborhood but met too much resistance. We are a area of 1950 houses with 1 car garages. However, it was never even considered in a more affluent older neighborhood. Objections were parking can be difficult as it is and we are near the university so lots of potential issues there. We lack affordable housing. Your backyard had to be at least 10k sq ft in the proposal and ours is only 8.

 

[ABQ2015]

In my city, you can build an ADU on an R1/single family home lot but it cannot have a kitchen so I assume it cannot be rented out as a separate residence but could be used for a roommate or family member. An ADU with kitchen is allowable on a townhouse lot. This is one reason I recently joined with neighbors to fight a developer's proposal to rezone the lot across the street, demolish the older home, and build two townhouse units with ADUs. I paid extra to live in a single family neighborhood and do not want the higher density of townhouses and rental ADUs.

 

[wolf]

California is also pushing ADU. Housing shortage. Local government say they want them, but in reality, the local zoning rules limit them. Great investment, if you can build one.
You already own the land, so the "return" is great. Especially in S.F. Bay area.

Spent 2 years, researching, got a contractor. etc. Ready to build. Surprise, local building code. You have utility easement. From the end of your property line, you come in 20 Ft. Then the width of your property. 58 ft. Nothing can be built there.

Oh, was planning to build a detached ADU. You can build an attached ADU.
So many "rules".

 

[Ed B]

I built one in stages. It started as a nice storage building of just under 500 square feet and a covered porch with roughed in plumbing and designed so it could be finished and made into an efficiency cottage. About six years ago DD moved home after a divorce. I had it closed in and had a full bath and small kitchen finished. She moved in for about three months but didn't stay long.

About three years ago my mother moved in. We updated it for a disabled senior, with step in shower instead of tub, plumbed for stacked apartment sized washer/dryer, water treatment system and carport with more external storage. It is working great for my mother and my wife and I. Everyone has some privacy but she is safe and we are here for her.

I live in the county without an HOA so we had no problems. It has been a great thing for our family.

 

[Release The Hounds]

Austin TX is rife with ADUs, and many of them are fairly sizable (approaching 2000 sq. ft.). In my opinion, separately owned ADUs on a single parcel just seems designed to lead to problems between neighbors, especially on odd-sized lots that aren't divided evenly.