PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Since the state’s new accessory dwelling unit law went into effect last year, there have been over 1,200 approved plans to build them.
The goal is to create more affordable housing. As cities and towns are getting a handle on the new law, some people are getting creative about how they plan on using the new housing option.
Paul Townsend has been helping people design modular homes at Mod-Tech for years. He says the state’s new ADU law has opened up doors of possibilities.
“Rental uses or young family uses, college children coming home, et cetera,” said Mod-Tech Company Manager Paul Townsend. “It’s gone into a number of ways.”
And in Kristin McLellan’s case, building an ADU in her backyard turned out to be the more affordable option for her elderly mother over an assisted living facility.
“Unfortunately, that would be a lot of money, and probably take everything that she had, and then some,” said Kristin McLellan of Plymouth.
Not to mention the convenience of being right next door.
“In the wintertime it’s not, ‘Oh, you’ve got to get out to your car and drive five miles or something to a facility to see her in the middle of the night,’ or anything like that,” said McLellan. “We’re right there for her.”
Even before the state’s ADU law went into effect last winter, Townsend says the demand has always been there, but getting municipal approval proved to be challenging at times.
“For the most part, it was not possible, period,” said Townsend. “Towns would not allow a second dwelling on a property for any purpose.”
With the state’s new law, municipalities cannot require family members to live in the unit, the ADU can be rented out, ADUs can be detached from the main house, and they do not require a special permit or zoning change.
“Many towns are trying to keep their arms around it and control it in some ways,” said Townsend. “All towns are different. The hurdles are different, but they’re still out there in, I would say, many towns.”
Townsend says despite the challenges, his company is now getting three requests a week about ADUs, compared to two a month.
“We’re getting equal requests for two-bedroom versus one-bedroom,” said Townsend.
But he doesn’t believe this is going to solve the state’s housing shortage.
“Not 10% of our clients have come to do an ADU for rent or, quote, use by others, “said Townsend. “Very rare. So I don’t think it’s solving the housing problem, certainly not by itself.”
Townsend says people are getting creative. A young couple is putting an ADU on top of a three-car garage, with plans one day to build their dream home next to it. As for McLellan, she sees other possibilities with her mother’s ADU.
“We have two sons and in the end it may end up being that we give each one of them a permanent place to live in this area, even if it is somewhat of a vacation home for them later on,” said McLellan. “You just really don’t know what the future is going to be, but I feel like it opened more options.”
There is a wide price range for ADUs, from around $200,000 to more than $400,000. The governor’s office is launching a campaign to make it easier for people to build ADUs at a lower cost. The state will invest $10 million into the program to help with construction.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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