Jax's accessory dwelling unit bill deserves support

[thelakelander]

Jacksonville City Council is currently debating the Keep Our Families Together Act, which would allow accessory dwelling units – garage apartments, detached suites, etc. – to be built in more neighborhoods. Here's why it's exactly the kind of thing local leaders should be pursuing to help fight the housing crisis.

Read More: https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/jaxs-accessory-dwelling-unit-bill-deserves-support/

[fsu813]

It's great to see this being considered. I assume it'll be work shopped in committee, which should be interesting.

[tufsu1]

It's great to see this being considered. I assume it'll be work shopped in committee, which should be interesting.

it got voted out of committees unanimously - but they may go back through again...or have it go to a different committee

[jaxlongtimer]

Lack of parking and taxing septic tanks have been brought up in letters to the editor along with concerns of having a more transient population in a homeowner-based neighborhood.  There may also be the issue of drainage if more land is covered with impervious improvements than is currently covered.

This is a tough one to sort out.  It would seem building more higher density apartment/condo type buildings would be the ultimate answer to building the most affordable housing in the quickest manner.  Jax seems very friendly to such developers lately.  It may just take more time for the number of units to catch up to the market.  Based on prior cycles, eventually we may even have a glut at some point in the future which would stabilize or even bring rents back down.

As to rent levels, they are going to reflect the market, regardless of where the units are.  One-off backyard apartments are likely to cost at least the same and possibly more than apartments due to higher costs per sf to build and being a hybrid of renting a home and an apartment, thus averaging home rents with apartment rents yielding a higher rent than apartments alone.  So, this may not solve affordability for renters.

LOL, the proposed mixing of apartment dwellers with homeowners seems like a literal version of NIMBY.

[Tacachale]

^It's really not that tough. It's something we'll have to deal with at some point regardless. It's just a matter of if we want to take steps to address the housing crisis now or wait till we're past the breaking point like other cities. IMO the best way to think about ADUs specifically is as another option that adds density and variety without changing the scale of a residential neighborhood. San Marco feels as residential and inviting as anywhere in the city, and there are tons of ADUs as well as multiplexes and the like. ADUs are generally cheaper to rent than a single family home in the same area as they're smaller and cheaper to build.

From what I've seen, infrastructure issues are a real concern with ADUs, but nothing insurmountable. For the property owner, either they'll reckon how to make it work, or they won't build one. The idea that ADUs cause flooding by covering more ground up is really failing to see the forest for the trees. They cover less ground than most single family homes, which is all you're allowed to build in most of the city, and they don't require a new lot. And the concern over renters is a perpetual thing in many neighborhoods, regardless of ADUs. I don't think it's a genuine issue. Most of the time it comes down to simple fear of change, and in some cases, outright classism.