ADU?
An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a legal and regulatory term for a secondary house or apartment that shares the building lot of a larger, primary house.
The accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, is also known as an in-law or mother-in-law unit, secondary dwelling unit, granny flat or carriage house. An ADU has its own kitchen, living area, and a separate entrance. An ADU may be attached to a house or garage, or it can also be built as a stand-alone unit, but it generally will make use of the water and energy connections of the primary house.
There are many signs that legally permitted ADUs will become more mainstream. Recent legislative statewide laws in California marked a tipping point for ADUs in that influential state.
Most households in the United States are now 1 and 2 person households. Yet, most of our legacy housing stock, and even our new residential housing stock, is designed for families of 4 or 5 people. That may have made sense 70 years ago. But, things have changed. - From Investopedia
Economic
ADUs provide flexible dwelling options in a central city neighborhoods, utilizes existing governmental infrastructure (eg. roads, sewers, schools), and reduce the demand for expanding infrastructure in far-lying reaches of a developed metropolitan area.
Environmental
ADUs provide housing with a relatively small environmental footprint. New, detached ADUs provide rental housing that is 44% smaller per capita than standard, new single family rental units. And new ADUs overall provide housing that is 33% smaller per capita than standard, new single family units.
Social
ADUs provide more affordable housing options in residential neighborhoods without dramatically changing a neighborhood’s character as much as other new housing forms may.
-Lynn
-Kit
-Damian