ADU Programs as an Affordable Housing Strategy: Insights from a New Paper

A newly published paper from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies highlights programs that use Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as a form of affordable housing. A growing body of work is showing how ADUs help address many housing challenges of affordability and access by increasing the availability of homes in existing residential neighborhoods. This paper highlights the role of nonprofits in creating the financial and cultural infrastructure to support ADUs, including case studies of ADUs as a solution for senior housing, ADUs as basement conversions, and ADUs to advance racial, social, and economic justice for disadvantaged communities and more.

LDC works with clients to create ADU policies and programs, including recently supporting the County of Napa in revising its Affordable ADU forgivable loan program and leveraging public and private funds to help homeowners create ADUs for lower-income renters. This innovative program additionally aligns with the nonprofit Napa Sonoma ADU Center’s Standard Plans Program. For more information on LDC’s work in supporting ADUs as an affordable housing solution, please reach out to Farzad Mashhood at [email protected]