Sometimes this simply involves bringing an older relative or a grown child into a spare room or converted attic—but many opt for an accessory dwelling unit, or ADU. These small, stand-alone residential units allow families to remain close while permitting a degree of independence and privacy.
Though they’re not entirely uncontroversial—neighborhood associations in many jurisdictions have fought them—Oregon is one of the most ADU-friendly states, and Portland has long led the way in making it easier for homeowners to add an additional unit to their properties. That’s not to say homeowners here don’t face challenges: Adding a living space to an existing dwelling is often difficult, time-consuming and costly (the national average is $180,000, according to home services directory Angi). But help is out there.
To start, the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability offers free 15-minute consultations to help homeowners address the myriad issues that inevitably crop up in a homebuilding project—from sewers to trees to fire safety. In total, ADU projects take an average of 12 to 13 months to complete, according to BPS spokeswoman Chenoa Philabaum—and about three to five months of that involve the permit process. That’s why the further along you are with design ideas and property research, the more valuable the consultation experience can be.
In 1981, Portland became one of the first major American cities to legalize ADUs. Throughout the 2010s, leaders rewrote the land use code to encourage residential infill, including, in 2018, waiving costly system development charges on ADUs. The city now waives SDCs for all ADU builders who agree not to use their unit as a short-term rental for at least 10 years. (The city also has a moratorium on SDCs for all housing units.)
“Portland has a lot of experience with this,” says Tom Armstrong, supervising planner for BPS. “So there’s a lot of contractors and designers out there who are used to doing this type of work. There’s a real reservoir of professional help out there in Portland that can really help speed projects along.”
Over the decades, Portland has fostered a network of ADU-focused designers, builders and design-builders, offering various levels of creative control and the promise of less permitting hassle. Angi lists dozens of ADU-focused builders in the Portland area, including heavy hitters like Backyard Blueprint ADU and the Powell Group. Some firms have aging-in-place specialists and offer a line of base models to choose from, with numerous customizable features. They can shepherd projects from start to finish and provide you a turnkey-ready backyard unit with the appliances already connected.
Compared with standard rental property, ADUs intended for multigenerational living have a few different considerations, Armstrong says. Homeowners will want to think about how living spaces are laid out; where entry points will be placed and how common spaces are accessed; and how facilities like laundry are shared.
“With family, you’re probably going to be more flexible and accommodating,” Armstrong says. “Your layout would be different than with a third-party rental.”
An ADU is the rare project that often requires an ordinary citizen to become a project financer, designer and builder—or, at the very least, to enter into business with such professionals. And ultimately, homeowners who house a family member in an accessory living space may one day become landlords to nonfamily members. That’s because, like human beings themselves, ADUs often serve multiple roles in a lifetime—not just one. An ADU might, for a time, house an older relative; then it might serve as a source of rental income before serving as storage space—or housing for a younger family member.
The state of Oregon has passed laws that encourage ADUs, including mandates that jurisdictions above a certain size allow ADUs on residential lots. And support is now here at the federal level. The recently passed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act expands financing options for ADUs and is meant to streamline regulations.
And if the investment of time and money has you considering going rogue and building off the books, know that the penalties for violating building code run in the tens of thousands of dollars, with forced demolition and liens on property as options of last resort.
Resources
► The city’s ADU webpage includes information on city code and the permitting process: tinyurl.com/permitscodesinfo.
► Schedule appointments for city of Portland permit, code and zoning consultations: tinyurl.com/portlandADUconsultations.
► AARP has compiled a list of resources on its ADU homepage: tinyurl.com/ADUresourcelist. And it offers an ABCs of ADUs, available to print or as a downloadable PDF: tinyurl.com/ADUsdownload.
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