Everything You Need to Know About Building an ADU in Chicago
A new pilot program by the city to add housing has yet to catch on—but that could soon change.
A new pilot program by the city to add housing has yet to catch on—but that could soon change.
By easing zoning restrictions, cities such as Portland, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, and Seattle have seen growing interest in accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or coach houses or backyard houses, as they’re often called.
Earlier this year, Chicago followed suit with a pilot program that aims to add density to neighborhoods while increasing access to affordable housing and providing more opportunities for multigenerational families to remain together. But out of the 342 intake applications for ADUs filed with the city’s Department of Housing thus far, only 158 have been deemed eligible for a building permit and just six permits have been granted.
Eight building typologies and siting arrangements for coach houses show the flexible design possibilities offered under Chicago’s new ordinance.
Image courtesy of Booth Hansen
So what’s the hold up?
"My suspicion for why projects are getting pushed out further is that things are just more expensive now—construction costs and materials," says Katherine Darnstadt, founding principal at the Chicago architecture and urban design firm Latent Design. "So are these projects viable right now? Or do they need to wait a year and see if prices regulate? Or do they have to get redesigned or scrapped altogether?"
Lack of public awareness could be another stumbling block.
"A lot of property owners do not know that this is possible," says Steve Vance, founder and CEO of the real estate information service Chicago Cityscape. "There are tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of eligible properties in the five ADU pilot areas. And a lot of those are owned by owner occupants who are not paying attention necessarily to zoning matters that affect their properties." According to Cityscape’s data, there are currently 92,322 qualified lots.
The city envisions coach houses serving diverse purposes, from supporting multigenerational living to generating rental income.
Image courtesy of Booth Hansen
Property owners can choose to add coach houses by converting existing structures, or build brand new units, depending on the current arrangement of their plot.
Image courtesy of Booth Hansen
See the full story on Dwell.com: Everything You Need to Know About Building an ADU in Chicago
