Coalition for Smarter Growth's Cheryl Cort , D.C. DCRA Director Ernest Chrappah
The United Planning Organization (UPO), based in Washington D.C., has partnered with Citi Community Development and the Coalition for Smarter Growth to announce the formation of ADU DC, an initiative geared toward “making accessory dwelling units (ADUs) more accessible to low- and moderate-income homeowners" in the nation's capital.
A 2016 change to D.C.’s zoning regulations allows for ADUs to be built as a matter of right in certain low-density residential neighborhoods that form a rough-shaped ring around the center of the District. According to ADU DC, it aims to pilot “the feasibility of ADU development by low- to moderate-income D.C. homeowners and glean a model for replication," in addition to identifying barriers to ADU development and providing solutions to those barriers.
According to U.S. Census data, the D.C. metro area ranks No. 10 for population growth in a part of the country that’s also known for high housing costs and soul-crushing traffic. It’s not surprising that the notion of increasing the number of what many refer to as "granny flats" would start to flourish in the area.
“Accessory dwelling units present a unique opportunity for homeowners to increase their incomes and begin to close the wealth gap," said Robert Burns, senior vice president at Citi Community Development, in a press release. "By supporting ADU DC we aim to help enable more homeowners to boost their financial resilience, while adding much-needed affordable housing for renters in the region.”
Meanwhile, nearby Montgomery County in Maryland is also looking at how ADUs might add much-needed housing to the area. In July, the Montgomery County Council unanimously passed a zoning amendment that loosens ADU regulations. Despite solid support from the council, The Washington Post reports that protesters showed up prior to the vote bearing handmade signs decrying the alleged “stealth up-zoning” that ADUs represent to some residents. A petition against approving the change garnered more than 1,100 signatures.
As for the ADU DC initiative, it is focusing on the positive aspects offered by ADUs: providing the opportunity to create affordable housing; offering property owners a chance to add an income stream; increasing property values; and enabling aging in place. The organization cites a study from the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute that reports the District lost half of its low-cost housing units since 2002.
“Mayor Bowser has set an ambitious goal for D.C. to create 36,000 more homes, 12,000 of which must be affordable,” said Polly Donaldson, director of the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development. “In order to achieve this goal we must think differently, be bolder, and create new affordable housing tools; ADUs fit that bill and this initiative brings us one step closer to our goal.”
