Maryland Needs ADUs

What Is an ADU?

An ADU, or Accessory Dwelling Unit, is an additional housing unit on a single-family lot that is independent of the  main home. For example, a garage apartment or basement apartment. You may have heard of ADUs by their other names, such as “in-law suite” or “granny flat.”  These units have their own entrance, plumbing, and kitchen facilities.

ADUs serve seniors, service industry workers and young professionals by providing smaller, more affordable units in areas with existing infrastructure.

What ADU Legislation is being considered? 

HB 1466 (Del. Stewart), Environment and Transportation, Hearing TBD
SB 891 (Sen. A. Washington), Education, Energy, and the Environment, Hearing 2/25 

This bill implements the unanimous recommendations of the state ADU Task Force. It allows homeowners to add one ADU to a residential property by-right and prevents unreasonable requirements for their construction.

Expanding Maryland's ADUs

Maryland REALTORS^® strongly supports efforts to promote and expand the development of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in Maryland so that we may begin to close our state's housing shortage.
 
Many Maryland residents struggle to finding housing options in our state. This shortage is most pronounced among certain groups: residents of lower incomes; young people and those just getting started in their careers; and older people who are looking to downsize or who have special needs. Now even a majority of moderate-income Marylanders are now feeling the housing shortage. This is due in large part to the fact that we no longer construct “missing middle” housing types: accessory apartments, duplexes and the like.
 
ADUs make housing more affordable and available for these same populations. They expand options for lower wage and early career workers, particularly if they are employed in high-cost areas. They also provide greater flexibility for seniors to stay in their communities by allowing family members or caregivers to live on-site, or to provide additional rental income so that they are not displaced by rising costs.
 
Our research (full results here) revealed that once Maryland residents learn about ADUs, 81% support making it easier for homeowners to build these units on their properties.
 
Unfortunately, many local zoning ordinances make it difficult or very expensive to add an ADU to an existing property. In some counties, ADUs are prohibited from being constructed at all. We firmly believe that establishing a single set of rules for ADUs across the state is necessary for Maryland homeowners to make use of this housing type, no matter where they live in the state.
 
To close our housing gap, we will need to look beyond traditional development patterns in favor of new housing types that serve the needs of our residents, like ADUs.