In January of this year myself in unanimous agreement with other planning commissions approved the recommendations for modification to Everett Zoning Code which governed where detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs), aka mother-in-law apartments can be built. In February the City Council approved the recommendation.

As you can tell already this is some gripping stuff. The commission recommend the city of Everett make detached accessory dwelling units more accessible in more places of the city. Here are 3 reasons I think we should be excited about these policy changes!

1. Additional income for families here in Everett.

Post recession Everett is standing back up and getting ready to become the regional player it deserves to be, however despite all that economic growth wages still remain fairly stagnant. Allowing for families and households to build a rental unit on their property provides an additional stream of revenue for that household.

For families who are seeking to save for college, retirement, or who are like me and spending far too much on burgers at Nick’s Jr, having an additional source of income sets Everett families up for success.

2. More affordable housing options.

DADUs allow for affordable housing; we have seen this in Santa Clara, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver. In addition to increasing the over all supply of housing, DADUs also add to the diversity of housing stock in the city, which affords citizens more options in how to manage their housing costs.

3. Multi-generational housing that actually works.

According to the Pew research Center, 60 million people (that’s 20% of the American population) live in a household that includes two or more adult generations. Basically, an episode of “Everybody Loves Raymond” if you are looking for dated references. DADUs allow for adults to relocate their parents to a safe, inexpensive, and accessible home while preserving the independence and autonomy of all parties.

Furthermore, families seeking to care for adult family members who are unable to live independently have an affordable and dignified solution with DADUs. In fact, this entire conversation was partially spurred by a man who came before the commission and was seeking a way to care for his brother.   

We could conclude here, but let's do a BONUS ROUND!

But wait there’s more, a great instruction manual! So, my favorite meatball store also happens to sell furniture with excellent instruction manuals. Like IKEA instruction manuals, our DADUs will have very clear guidance on design standards so that they fit seamlessly into to character of the neighborhood. Learning from cities such as Santa Clara, the planning department here is working to put together a best practices design manual for that will make help architects, neighbors, and homeowners create a DADU that feels at home in the neighborhood it is built.

So those are the reasons why I am very excited about this policy choice! Families get extra income, renters get options and lower rents, and families that cross generations can now stay together. It’s like Michael Scott once said a  “win, win, win”.

Editor's Note: Want more info about the nitty-gritty parts of this ammendment? Learn about it on the city of Everett's website here.