Metropolis
Can ADUs Help Solve Our Housing Crisis?
In defense of the humble, but mighty, accessory dwelling unit
America is in the midst of a desperate housing crisis. While this, alarmingly, isn’t yet a reality broadly accepted by society, this reality is unyielding. Much like the state of climate change discourse a decade or two ago, the facts are incorruptible, and will continue to threaten our neighbors around the country whether one chooses to believe them or not. Nearly half of American renters (representing 36% of all households) are burdened by housing costs. 25% are severely burdened, meaning they spend more than half of their gross household income on housing. At these levels, it’s nearly impossible to afford all of the essentials a family needs. This has grave downstream consequences on individuals and neighborhoods. Not only are people spending more of their income on housing, they’re receiving very poor quality housing in return. Their lived experiences cannot be denied. Chiding from observers who neither know nor appreciate these conditions borders on dangerous behavior.
For those who are clear-eyed about the state of our housing, there’s intense debate surrounding how exactly we should try to cure it. While the need to provide more housing is obvious as this is a supply-driven crisis, where shortages in…
