Reports on successful ADU/2nd dwelling permits?

[Cheryl Cort]

Greetings - While we want to use this forum to share information to solve a lot of problems around building an ADU or 2nd unit, can any of you share positive experiences of designing & permitting (& even building) a second unit?

- Cheryl Cort, CSG

[Kishan Putta]

Will ask my constituents. 

On Mon, Nov 28, 2022 at 9:57 AM Cheryl Cort <che...@smartergrowth.net> wrote:

Greetings - While we want to use this forum to share information to solve a lot of problems around building an ADU or 2nd unit, can any of you share positive experiences of designing & permitting (& even building) a second unit?

- Cheryl Cort, CSG

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[Ileana Schinder]

OMG... I have so many! :)

Cheryl, want to schedule a call? What type of project are you looking for? 

Hugs

ileana

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PS: Wait, don't go... My book "Housing for Humans" is available!

ileana schinder, Architect

AIA, LEED AP BD+C

i...@ileanaschinder.com
o: 202-381-7463 / c: 202-431-6760

http://www.ileanaschinder.com

[Cheryl Cort]

How about briefly documenting successful examples - typical permitted projects by lot type, structure type, zoning, BZA?

For licensing, maybe Jean Poitevien can offer some examples too? Of course identifying pitfalls, also always welcome.

Offering examples will have others learn what is getting approved, and encourage those who are considering. 

What do you think? 

_____________________________ Cheryl Cort (she/her) Policy Director Coalition for Smarter Growth Mobile: 202-251-7516 (e) che...@smartergrowth.net | www.smartergrowth.net  Twitter @betterDCregion | @cherylcort Your gift helps keep CSG's advocacy going! Donate today! 2022 ULI Changemaker Award cfcgiving.opm.gov | CFC # 32340

[Ileana Schinder]

wow... lots of variables! 

do you want me to share them with the group or with your personally?

There's A LOT of variables... project type, complexity, size, code compliance, etc.

The typical permit process for an ADU takes from 2 to 4 months. BZA exceptions take 5-6 months, those time periods can be overlapped with the proper strategy. 

ile

[Tom Hall]

Has anyone received one of the subsidies - Supposedly up to $75K based on income from DC to promote an ADU construction in exchange for some kind of covenant on who to rent to.  I moved to the sidelines to wait to see if any of this is real and non-onerous.  Is the library of pre-approved architectural plans available?

"In the five years since DC updated the city's zoning code to make clear a path for homeowners to create accessory dwelling units (ADU), the practice still has yet to catch on due to things like high costs and bureaucratic inefficiencies. Now, the city is aiming to broaden access to ADU construction.

Last week, DC's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) released a Request for Applications (RFA) seeking an entity to administer a Residential Accessory Apartments Program (RAAP). The RAAP is meant to inform and assist homeowners in getting ADUs, or secondary living units, built within the footprint of their home or in a detached building on their property.

The pilot program will target at least 15 homeowners over the next fiscal year and will dole out maximum assistance on a sliding scale based on income level. For example, homeowners earning up to 80% of median family income (MFI) would receive $75,000, homeowners earning between 81%-100% of MFI would receive $56,250 and so on. No DHCD assistance will be provided for homeowners earning above 150% of MFI.

The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) will also provide five of the selected homeowners with $30,000, regardless of income, if they either choose to use one of the agency's pre-approved architectural plan sets or submit their architectural plans for DCRA to add to its pre-approved sets.

For homeowners who earn over 120% of MFI and receive either financial or technical assistance through the program, their ADU will be subject to a 10-year affordability covenant requiring any tenant they rent to earn no more than 60% of MFI. Units with the covenant would then be rented via the city's Inclusionary Zoning lottery.

Despite accessory dwellings being by-right for the 92,000 homes in DC's R- and RF- zoned neighborhoods, according to the city, fewer than 50 ADUs are approved annually. The RAAP is expected to launch this fall."

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[Ileana Schinder]

Hi Everyone,

I can tell that none of the pre approved drawings have been formally approved. I filed a model with DCRA expecting feedback but haven't heard much since. I wish they did because the design is REALLY nice.

In fact, at the moment I am offering the design as pre-designed (but not pre-approved) to save clients about 50% of the cost of the traditional design process.

I hope to be able to offer a full pre-design AND approved set soon!

ile

On Mon, Nov 28, 2022 at 10:57 AM Nancy Roth <na...@nancyeroth.com> wrote:

Seems to me the efficacy of the program depends a LOT on the contractor DHCD picked to run it. Responses to the RFA were due on August 1. Anyone know if they awarded it? 

Nancy Roth

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[Cheryl Cort]

We were on a team that submitted to the RFP twice. We have not heard anything on the second round! (the team I was on was told we did not receive the award on the first round)

My guess is that none of the proposals matched what DC Govt. was looking for.

The fact that people are holding back on a project awaiting word on the RFP is not good!

_____________________________ Cheryl Cort (she/her) Policy Director Coalition for Smarter Growth Mobile: 202-251-7516 (e) che...@smartergrowth.net | www.smartergrowth.net  Twitter @betterDCregion | @cherylcort Your gift helps keep CSG's advocacy going! Donate today! 2022 ULI Changemaker Award cfcgiving.opm.gov | CFC # 32340

On Mon, Nov 28, 2022 at 10:57 AM Nancy Roth <na...@nancyeroth.com> wrote:

Seems to me the efficacy of the program depends a LOT on the contractor DHCD picked to run it. Responses to the RFA were due on August 1. Anyone know if they awarded it? 

Nancy Roth

On Nov 28, 2022, at 10:47 AM, Tom Hall <tom...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Tom Hall]

Cheryl, you nailed it!  

So now the Rule of Unintended Consequences comes into effect. DC Govt has half-heartedly rolled out this enticement and says that some people might get this money at some point - so OK, I'll wait until I actually believe that I can be one of those people.  Also I will stay on the sidelines (despite having paid $1200 five years ago for a PRDM letter saying my unit would be approved as matter-of-right) until I see whether any of these pre-approved plans will work since that would reduce my risk vs paying for my own plans.  

[Ileana Schinder]

Hi Tom,

I totally feel what you are saying. I've even gotten calls in my office inquiring about "how" and "When" people can get to those funds. 

Feel free to reach out to me and I'm happy to advice how to move forward. And yes, most ADUs are by right now :)

ile

On Mon, Nov 28, 2022 at 12:00 PM Tom Hall <tom...@gmail.com> wrote:

Cheryl, you nailed it!  

So now the Rule of Unintended Consequences comes into effect. DC Govt has half-heartedly rolled out this enticement and says that some people might get this money at some point - so OK, I'll wait until I actually believe that I can be one of those people.  Also I will stay on the sidelines (despite having paid $1200 five years ago for a PRDM letter saying my unit would be approved as matter-of-right) until I see whether any of these pre-approved plans will work since that would reduce my risk vs paying for my own plans.  

[Marshall Daly]

Hey all,

I just came across this press release saying that "The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has selected the Roz Company to administer the RAAP program." 

There's almost nothing online about "the Roz Company" (other than a sparsely populated website that doesn't mention RAAP nor ADUs generally).

I was wondering if anyone had more information on what's happening with the RAAP program and/or what The Roz Company is doing? Like others on here, I'd love to get involved.

Best,

Marshall  

[Cheryl Cort]

Has anyone applied?

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7230916/RAAP-2023

See below per press release mentioning DC ADU program.

 

From: Marshall Daly <marsha...@gmail.com>
Date: May 2, 2023 at 5:06:12 PM EDT
To: DC Accessory Apartments Forum <ad...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [DC Accessory Apartments Forum] Reports on successful ADU/2nd dwelling permits?

Hey all,

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[Tom Hall]

I submitted an application yesterday and will let you know if I hear anything. 

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[A MOK]

When you applied, did you receive a confirmation email or any follow-up? Besides the message in the last screen of the application saying that I had submitted my responses, I did not receive a confirmation email or any other retrievable form of confirmation that shows that I have applied for the RAAP program.

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[Rachel MacCleery]

Hi,

I hope everyone is well.

I wanted to see if anyone knows whether there are restrictions on short term rentals in backyard ADUs in DC. 

Does the city regulate the number of nights an ADU can be used as a short-term rental?

I found this piece but am not sure how rules relate to ADUs:

https://dcist.com/story/22/01/05/dc-to-start-restricting-and-regulating-airbnb-and-short-term-rentals/

Thank you!