I’m an editor for AccessoryDwellings.org, a site edited by 3 volunteers in Portland, Oregon. It is a one-stop source about accessory dwelling units, multigenerational homes, laneway houses, ADUs, granny flats, in-law units.

Here’s some of my latest posts on that website.

  • Strong Statewide ADU Reform Matrix August 7, 2025 2:30 pm
    Legislative ADU activity has been coming at such a dizzying pace that it is extremely hard for anyone to keep up. For ADU enthusiasts, this is excellent news, of course. The fact that States are now clawing back their zoning powers from jurisdictions is fairly new. I would pin this change to the lowly ADU, which helped to started this phenomenon in CA in 2017. The concept is now launching and evolving so quickly, that I predict the majority of States will have preemptive zoning to address statewide housing matters including ADUs but also middle housing, within a year.
  • Massachusetts Adopted a Strong ADU Law, but Local Regulations will Still Prevent Them January 9, 2025 3:00 pm
    I grew up with an illegal ADU in my attic in Newton, MA that my mom used to house grad students from a nearby campus. The tenants were like members of our family; they literally walked through the center staircase in house to access their cute, affordable, attic, studio apartment.
  • Arizona and Hawaii Adopt Statewide ADU Reforms June 3, 2024 2:30 pm
    This post will review the laws that were recently adopted in Arizona and Hawaii, and provide some insights and constructive criticisms of each law.  First, the awesome news: Both Arizona and Hawaii have adopted statewide ADU reforms in the last two weeks.
  • Portland ADU Tour 2024: Tickets Available Now for Exclusive Look at 10+ New ADUs May 22, 2024 2:00 pm
    This year’s ADU tour in Portland will feature a new set of 10+ ADUs throughout the city. Also... The total number of permitted ADUs in Portland is now approximately 4,200. 10-15% of permitted ADU are never built. Condoized ADUs in Portland take root. RMLS improvements for ADUs
  • Colorado Passes Strong ADU Legislation May 9, 2024 3:00 pm
    Colorado has passed a strong ADU law (House Bill -1152), making it the 5th state to pass strong ADU legislation. Colorado is having a big year! It is expected that legislation related to upzoning near transit, parking reduction laws, and housing needs assessments legislation will all pass. And last month, a bill was signed into law that prohibits residential occupancy limits on housing in Colorado. 
  • Inhabited Mobile Dwellings Survey 2024 (Cully Neighborhood, Portland, Oregon) April 17, 2024 2:30 pm
    Four years ago, in June, 2020, I conducted the inaugural study of the rate of inhabited mobile dwellings on residential properties in the Cully neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. This study laid the groundwork for a follow-up survey I conducted four years later, which used the same parameters and methods.
  • THE BIG ADU WEST COAST DATASET January 12, 2024 4:00 pm
    This may seem weird, but I’m giddy to share this big new ADU dataset from the West Coast with you. This is the first time that this big dataset has been presented to the public. Here, I will show why this particular data is so important, and explain why I’m proud to release it.  Getting my hands on this data from California, Oregon, and Washington was difficult. Making it presentable was also a challenge.
  • Innovative Ways to Develop ADUs that Intentionally Help Your Community October 10, 2023 3:00 pm
    Building an ADU can be a way for you to build your wealth, which is a great individual motivator for their construction.  Meanwhile, for policymakers such as city council members or state legislators, allowing ADUs by liberalizing rules for their development will help solve the housing crisis. As rental units, ADUs typically provide financially attainable rental housing stock in residential neighborhoods simply due to their limited size.
  • ADU Legislative Initiatives- History in the Making (Part IV) April 24, 2023 4:58 pm
    Washington State has passed very strong ADU legislation called HB 1337. Here’s a summary of some of things it does. Under HB 1337, cities and counties must follow specific policies, including: Not requiring owner occupancy Permitting detached ADUs, not just attached ADUs. Allowing at least two ADUs in all urban growth areas with single-family zoning. Legalizes two story ADUs (24ft) Limiting impact fees for ADUs to 50% of the fees for the principal unit. Generally not imposing stricter limitations on ADUs compared to principal units.
  • One Year In, Are Tiny Houses on Wheels the New ADU in Portland? January 11, 2023 4:00 pm
    We are one year into installing RV hookup infrastructure on residential properties in Portland for homeowners who are adding a mobile dwelling. We do this work through a company called Tiny Hookups LLC. This company was formed on the heels of the legalization of RVs (and tiny houses on wheels, which are classified as RVs under Oregon state law) as a legal dwelling option in Portland, Oregon, in 2021.