Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog.net

Zoning Reform Will Boost Housing Affordability and Walkability in D.C.

11:21 AM EDT on May 11, 2016

A change to D.C.'s zoning code will allow homeowners to build and rent out a basement apartment, or an apartment over the garage, without the long, expensive hassle of obtaining special permission.

Advocates in many high-rent cities, like Austin, have fought for this kind of legislation. It not only helps alleviate the housing crunch, it also creates better conditions for transit and a mix of uses as more people live closer together.

Garage apartments: Now legal in D.C. Photo: D.C. Office of Planning via Greater Greater Washington
Garage apartments: Now legal in D.C. Photo: D.C. Office of Planning via Greater Greater Washington
false

Emily Brown at Greater Greater Washington explains how this will work:

It used to be that to build a small apartment or detached building, called an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), onto the larger property a house sits on, homeowners in DC had to prove they needed it. Under DC's new zoning code, they have the right to build them without seeking special permission.

An ADU could be a basement or attic apartment, or an apartment over a garage or small cottage in the backyard. The important thing is that you can rent an ADU to a tenant. Allowing ADUs to go up more freely is one of the biggest changes of the new zoning code.

In DC, households are shrinking from large families to singles or couples, while demand for housing is rising. Allowing homeowners to rent out parts of their property can help alleviate this demand, while providing income to offset the increasing cost of property.

Apartments have always been relatively easy for homeowners to add -- consider the classic DC "English Basement." Under the old zoning code they were allowed with a special exception, but now they are allowed by right in residential neighborhoods.

Elsewhere on the Network today: The Political Environment reports that environmental regulators continue to trim sprawl-inducing elements from the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha's application to divert Great Lakes water. The Urbanist critiques Seattle's new long-term plan. And Streets.mn wonders if Minnesota will do its part to help the Twin Cities realize its vision for light rail.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Wednesday’s Headlines Are Too Fast, Too Furious

When it comes to speeding, why don't regulators and automakers save drivers from themselves?

November 29, 2023

Reader Roundup: What the Demise of the Intercity Bus Station Means for Passengers

Here's just a few of the horror stories we heard from readers who are struggling with the inter-city bus industry's latest push for "curbside" loading.

November 29, 2023

Highway Boondoggles 2023: Is the BQE the Queen of All Boondoggles?

New York City set to squander a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fix a polluting and outdated highway.

November 29, 2023

Bay Area Transit Agencies Struggles to Define a Vision for the Future

Leaders plan to put a regional tax measure on the ballot, but first they need to show what those taxes would do for the Bay Area transit system.

November 29, 2023

The Price Is Right for Tuesday’s Headlines

If congestion pricing works in New York City, City Lab predicts that other U.S. cities will quickly follow suit.

November 28, 2023
See all posts