Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Program - Increasing Housing Options and Minimizing Sprawl

About the Program

Category: Planning (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

The new Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Program increases housing options to residents by permitting ADUs on lots of 7,500 sq, ft. or larger in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, a jurisdiction with 1,197,341 people. This Program is unique for its scale, scope, and flexibility in ensuring implementation on a large scale. An ADU is a small extra rental apartment at a single-family residential property. The program features reasonable measures to ensure the integrity of the single-family character of neighborhoods when ADUs are added. The Program increases housing supply in developed areas, which is particularly important in Miami-Dade County, as it needs to preserve its tropical agricultural land and its environmentally sensitive areas. By increasing supply in already developed areas, housing demand can be satisfied while minimizing sprawl while minimizing sprawl. Many jurisdictions have created ADU programs, but people creating them often require a lengthy approval process. In Florida, some other large counties accommodate ADUs, but require a public-hearing review process, whereas in Miami-Dade County, an ADU is a by-right use if lot size, unit size, and design criteria are met. An ADU can be approved through the standard building permit or certificate of use procedures.