NEW YORK (WABC) — Mayor Zohran Mamdani has announced plans to increase housing, by helping New York City homeowners add ancillary dwelling units, or ADUs, to their property.
ADUs, sometimes called granny flats, can be basement apartments, attic conversions, an attached addition, a detached backyard unit, or a converted garage.
Basically, anything that can be built on the same lot, as the main house.
Mayor Mamdani plans to launch an online library of pre-approved ADUs, a cost-estimator, tools to cut red tape, financing up to $395,000, and a website called ADU for You.
In a statement, Mamdani said, “One of the solutions to the housing crisis can be found in our backyards, our attics, or our basements – in an Ancillary Dwelling Unit. That’s why our administration is making it easier and more affordable to build an ADU through a library of pre-approved plans and new financing options. By making it easier for New Yorkers to turn their homes into an extra place for a loved one or a little more income, we’re allowing our city to grow while keeping the character of the neighborhoods we love.”
In 2022, Gov. Kathy Hochul tried, and failed, to pass legislation to incentivize municipalities to allow ADUs to be built in neighborhoods zoned for single families.
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