Accessory Dwelling Units, Regional Sustainability, Sustainable Development

Jumpstarting the market for accessory dwelling units

May 23, 2017

How did Portland, Oregon, go from permitting two accessory dwelling units (ADUs) per month in 2009 to almost two per day in 2016?  Now, more than one of every 10 housing units built in Portland is an ADU.   ADU permitting explodes: Permits as a share of all residential permits. Compared to other housing types, ADUs, or separate small dwellings…

Read More

Accessory Dwelling Units, Displacement, Gentrification, Regional Sustainability

The Blocked Market for Density and Affordable Housing

October 17, 2014

Around the globe, many cities are experiencing a housing affordability crisis. There are few places this crisis is more pronounced than San Francisco and Los Angeles. California’s strict land use regulations hinder us from producing enough housing, particularly infill development, or new buildings on vacant or underutilized land in the urban core. Yet, with 200,000 units in the pipeline, the…

Read More