As housing demand continues to outpace supply in the District, creative solutions are needed to provide additional housing in order to reduce rental costs. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are one such solution. An ADU is a secondary living unit in a house, with a separate entrance/exit. Examples of ADUs include basement apartments, backyard cottages, in-law suites, and garage apartments.
By building ADUs across the city, we can weave additional housing into residential neighborhoods in ways that enhance the community fabric, promote intergenerational living arrangements, and improve housing affordability. After recent changes to the District’s zoning code made it easier for property owners to build ADUs on their lots, the Coalition for Smarter Growth has led the way in promoting the production of ADUs to take advantage of these changes.
Resources
- ADU DC Homeowner’s Manual: How to Build an Accessory Apartment or Second Dwelling in the District of Columbia written in collaboration with United Planning Organization and funded by Citi
- Our public folder with extensive resources on building an ADU
- Our YouTube events playlist
- Join our online forum: Interested in joining our growing community of homeowners and professionals working to build more accessory apartments in the District? Join our DC Accessory Apartments Forum here!
Latest Happenings
ADU D.C. Homeowner’s Manual
Webinar: Understanding ADU Zoning in DC
Event: Understanding DC Zoning for Accessory Apartments & Second Dwellings
RELEASE: CSG joins with United Planning Organization to Announce Launch of ADU DC, an Accessory Dwelling Unit Initiative in Washington, DC
