DC Accessory Apartments Forum

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Welcome to the DC Accessory Apartments Forum!

The purpose of this group is to share information about how a homeowner or professional can create an accessory apartment in the District of Columbia. Accessory apartments can help homeowners earn income on excess space, help a small family to have a home, and provide more housing for people within existing residential neighborhoods.

If you haven’t yet, please take this introductory survey.

An "accessory apartment," often also called an accessory dwelling unit or ADU, is a secondary unit on a property that is built on the same property, but is clearly secondary to an existing home. The secondary unit can be either part of the same structure as the primary dwelling unit or a detached dwelling unit on the same lot. Examples include garage apartments, backyard cottages, or basement apartments in existing single-family houses. Under the updated 2016 DC zoning code, accessory apartments are now allowed in R zone neighborhoods (single-family detached and attached residential areas).

This forum is sponsored by the DC ADUs Working Group Steering Committee and supported by the DC-based nonprofit organization, the Coalition for Smarter Growth. Members of the steering committee include Harriet Tregoning, Cheryl Cort (CSG), Maura Brophy, Kay Pierson (UPO), Paul W. Ruppert, Phil Kash (HR&A), Nick Burger (ANC 6B06), Adriana Navarro-Sertich (UrbanSEED), and Steve Jones.

Need help related to this group? Email action@smartergrowth.net

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Feb 5

MD ADUs - weigh in at task force meeting

Task Force to study the placement of accessory dwelling units (ADU) on land zoned for single-family

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MD ADUs - weigh in at task force meeting

Task Force to study the placement of accessory dwelling units (ADU) on land zoned for single-family

Feb 5

dixonglo...@gmail.com, Cheryl Cort4

Jan 1

ZONING R-1-A - remodeling project - Sprinkler/HVAC?

It is free standing. On Mon, Jan 1, 2024, 8:46 AM Cheryl Cort <che...@smartergrowth.net> wrote:

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ZONING R-1-A - remodeling project - Sprinkler/HVAC?

It is free standing. On Mon, Jan 1, 2024, 8:46 AM Cheryl Cort <che...@smartergrowth.net> wrote:

Jan 1

9/7/23

Big ADU Wins this past year in Maryland and our need to push for ADU 2.0

We had big wins in Anne Arundel County recently as well as the cities of Frederick and Annapolis. In

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Big ADU Wins this past year in Maryland and our need to push for ADU 2.0

We had big wins in Anne Arundel County recently as well as the cities of Frederick and Annapolis. In

9/7/23

Megan Zisser Block, … Jeffrey Levine3

9/6/23

Alley dwelling possible in RA-2?

This recent article from the NYT may be of interest to the members of the forum https://www.nytimes.

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Alley dwelling possible in RA-2?

This recent article from the NYT may be of interest to the members of the forum https://www.nytimes.

9/6/23

9/1/23

Pre-Approved Plans Program

Greetings All, Architect here. Does anyone have a contact with DOB with whom I could speak with

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Pre-Approved Plans Program

Greetings All, Architect here. Does anyone have a contact with DOB with whom I could speak with

9/1/23

Talayah Jackson, Ileana Schinder3

8/31/23

Live-in ADU, AirBnB main home

Hi Ileana, I'm doing okay, hope you're well. Thanks so much for responding. During the

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Live-in ADU, AirBnB main home

Hi Ileana, I'm doing okay, hope you're well. Thanks so much for responding. During the

8/31/23

Brandt Witt, Ileana Schinder2

7/29/23

Condo conversion resources or advice? To make an addl dwelling unit feasible

Hi Brandt, how are you? From a construction perspective, a condo conversion and an ADU are extremely

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Condo conversion resources or advice? To make an addl dwelling unit feasible

Hi Brandt, how are you? From a construction perspective, a condo conversion and an ADU are extremely

7/29/23

Nancy Roth, … Cheryl Cort18

7/27/23

ADUs and Inclusionary Zoning

When we started this effort, we collected a list of professionals interested in some part of the ADU

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ADUs and Inclusionary Zoning

When we started this effort, we collected a list of professionals interested in some part of the ADU

7/27/23

biniam berhe, … Ileana Schinder, PLLC12

7/24/23

Request for Expert Consultation on Property Bedroom Classification in DC

Yes to turning the front living room into a bedroom. However, beware of entrance requirements and how

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Request for Expert Consultation on Property Bedroom Classification in DC

Yes to turning the front living room into a bedroom. However, beware of entrance requirements and how

7/24/23

Cheryl Cort, … Rachel MacCleery15

6/25/23

Reports on successful ADU/2nd dwelling permits?

Hi, I hope everyone is well. I wanted to see if anyone knows whether there are restrictions on short

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Reports on successful ADU/2nd dwelling permits?

Hi, I hope everyone is well. I wanted to see if anyone knows whether there are restrictions on short

6/25/23

6/7/23

6/9-11: Net Zero Energy AFFORDABLE ADU designs exhibited at HUD Innovative Housing Showcase

FYI - interesting housing showcase at the mall this weekend, featuring some ADUs. From: Mark Isaacs

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6/9-11: Net Zero Energy AFFORDABLE ADU designs exhibited at HUD Innovative Housing Showcase

FYI - interesting housing showcase at the mall this weekend, featuring some ADUs. From: Mark Isaacs

6/7/23

Marshall Daly, … Cheryl Cort15

5/4/23

Non-traditional ADU development idea for discussion

Adriana - that is quite the history in Baltimore! Hopefully I can stay far away from the colonial-

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Non-traditional ADU development idea for discussion

Adriana - that is quite the history in Baltimore! Hopefully I can stay far away from the colonial-

5/4/23

4/27/23

FHA proposes allowing ADU rental income to qualify for FHA-insured mortgage financing.

Hi everyone - time has gotten away from me & today is the deadline for comments for FHA rule to

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FHA proposes allowing ADU rental income to qualify for FHA-insured mortgage financing.

Hi everyone - time has gotten away from me & today is the deadline for comments for FHA rule to

4/27/23

4/25/23

I'm new to the discussion on ADU. But I'm very interested in a dwelling built where I can age

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I'm new to the discussion on ADU. But I'm very interested in a dwelling built where I can age

4/25/23

biniam berhe, … Ileana Schinder, PLLC10

3/24/23

4 to 2 Unit conversion without permit

In my experience it takes 4-6 months if they have no comments on the documents you present to make

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4 to 2 Unit conversion without permit

In my experience it takes 4-6 months if they have no comments on the documents you present to make

3/24/23

Laura Hruby, Ileana Schinder2

3/20/23

Shop drawing approval timeline

Hi Laura, How are you? Fire suppression shop drawings "should" be part of the plumbing set

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Shop drawing approval timeline

Hi Laura, How are you? Fire suppression shop drawings "should" be part of the plumbing set

3/20/23

Jeffrey Levine, Jim P3

2/5/23

Fwd: NYTimes: Senior Housing That Seniors Actually Like

Jeffrey, Thanks for an excellent article!! I'm here both because of possibility of building an

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Fwd: NYTimes: Senior Housing That Seniors Actually Like

Jeffrey, Thanks for an excellent article!! I'm here both because of possibility of building an

2/5/23

Shadonna Logan, Ileana Schinder2

1/4/23

Multiple dwelling adu

Hi Shadonna, How are you? The answer is "yes" and "no". Depending the size and

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Multiple dwelling adu

Hi Shadonna, How are you? The answer is "yes" and "no". Depending the size and

1/4/23

Kari Cohen, … Ileana Schinder4

12/7/22

2nd Dwelling Unit five-year waiting period

Hi Cheryl, Kari... Thanks for your follow up. As usual, the devil is in the details when it comes to

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2nd Dwelling Unit five-year waiting period

Hi Cheryl, Kari... Thanks for your follow up. As usual, the devil is in the details when it comes to

12/7/22

Tanya Topolewski

12/5/22

Re: [DC Accessory Apartments Forum] Abridged summary of adudc@googlegroups.com - 2 updates in 1 topic

I will also chime in here and say (just for fun) that what sometimes looks to be city owned property

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Re: [DC Accessory Apartments Forum] Abridged summary of adudc@googlegroups.com - 2 updates in 1 topic

I will also chime in here and say (just for fun) that what sometimes looks to be city owned property

12/5/22

Cedric, Ileana Schinder2

12/5/22

Overgrown (multiple decades) unused "Alley" adjacent to home

Hi Cedric, That's a super interesting question but not a straight up answer. This is what I

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Overgrown (multiple decades) unused "Alley" adjacent to home

Hi Cedric, That's a super interesting question but not a straight up answer. This is what I

12/5/22

Jeremy Davila, … JEAN POITEVIEN3

11/30/22

Certificate of Occupany

Hi Ileana, Jeremy: It looks like the link sent was to schedule a BBL inspection. I think what Jeremy

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Certificate of Occupany

Hi Ileana, Jeremy: It looks like the link sent was to schedule a BBL inspection. I think what Jeremy

11/30/22

Ileana Schinder

11/17/22

We won and you get the prize!

Here's a link to the message below. View this email in your browser Washington City Paper's

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We won and you get the prize!

Here's a link to the message below. View this email in your browser Washington City Paper's

11/17/22

cynthia...@hotmail.com, … JEAN POITEVIEN11

10/20/22

Two story garage ADU

Hi Jeremy, When a property is a multi-unit with a CofO (2 units or more), the owner is only required

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Two story garage ADU

Hi Jeremy, When a property is a multi-unit with a CofO (2 units or more), the owner is only required

10/20/22

laurama...@gmail.com, … Jim P16

10/18/22

Are ADU applications the only option for basement kitchen?

I need to complain about a problem with my Homestead application. Wrote successfully in the past to

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Are ADU applications the only option for basement kitchen?

I need to complain about a problem with my Homestead application. Wrote successfully in the past to

10/18/22

Ileana Schinder

10/10/22

Hi guys, Thank you for being part of this amazing group. I really enjoy contributing ideas and adding

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Hi guys, Thank you for being part of this amazing group. I really enjoy contributing ideas and adding

10/10/22

Jay Fazio, … Jim P4

9/14/22

Detached ADU for Rent

C of O used to be required only if one had more than one unit. is it now also if you rent any part of

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Detached ADU for Rent

C of O used to be required only if one had more than one unit. is it now also if you rent any part of

9/14/22

Cheryl Cort, Jim P2

8/30/22

Fwd: DC's looking at ways to make it easier to build accessory apartments

For potential grantees with income below 80% of the median family income, the program seems to only

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Fwd: DC's looking at ways to make it easier to build accessory apartments

For potential grantees with income below 80% of the median family income, the program seems to only

8/30/22

7/25/22

DC homeowners: Have an ADU idea for your home? Talk to an architect about it!

logo Do you want to build an accessory apartment? We'll help you talk to an architect!

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DC homeowners: Have an ADU idea for your home? Talk to an architect about it!

logo Do you want to build an accessory apartment? We'll help you talk to an architect!

7/25/22

7/22/22

Fwd: You're Invited To a Virtual Public Forum: Introducing the District's Newest Agencies

In case anyone is interested - learn about the transition to 2 new agencies -- DC Dept of Buildings,

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Fwd: You're Invited To a Virtual Public Forum: Introducing the District's Newest Agencies

In case anyone is interested - learn about the transition to 2 new agencies -- DC Dept of Buildings,

7/22/22

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