The bill would allow homeowners to get a permit to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and rent them out to other families.
HAMPTON, Va. — It’s no secret that a lack of affordable housing in Hampton Roads is becoming a crisis. Rents are going up and so is the demand for housing.
But a bill in the General Assembly could help. Lawmakers are debating legislation that would allow homeowners to build a small apartment on their property and rent it out.
Seth Quick of the nonprofit housing advocacy group YIMBY Hampton Roads, said an ADU can be an above-garage suite in your backyard or a small carriage house.
“It’s planning-speak for what we generally most people would call an in-law suite, or a granny flat,” Quick said. “A lot of times what you’ll see is people will take like a room over the garage, in a lot of older neighborhoods, you can just add a staircase. Homeowners could build a small apartment and rent it to anyone.”
YIMBY stands for “Yes In My Backyard.” Quick said the organization’s goal is to support policies that address the ongoing housing shortage.
He said ADUs are not a new concept but it’s not always easy for homeowners to get the right permits to rent out a small unit.
“Here in Hampton Roads, Norfolk is by far the most permissive with it. You can have it in a lot of areas such as East Beach,” Quick said. “But cities like Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, it’s really difficult right now to do that.”
Quick said ADUs could be a great option for students or small families looking for a cost-effective place to live.
He said it’s also beneficial for property owners. ADUs are more affordable to build than larger apartment units and provide a source of supplemental income.
That’s not the only bill in the General Assembly that could help the housing shortage.
Another bill would create an advisory group to oversee single-stair buildings up to six stories tall.
Quick said these are apartment buildings that are more common in bigger cities and could allow for more housing to be built in the area.
“All the apartments kind of load off the staircase,” Quick said. “You’ve seen an old building in New York City: you walk up the stairs, all the apartments just load off the stairwell.”
This is in comparison to buildings with two stairwells.
“You can think of it if you’ve been to a hotel,” Quick explained. “That’s kind of how multifamily buildings are built; You’ve got an apartment on either side of your hallway.”
Quick said making this change would allow developers to build housing on smaller lots.
“That allows you to fit apartments in a smaller space,” Quick said. “So when you think about areas like Ghent, Colley Avenue, or older commercial zones like the Oceanfront and the Vibe District, you have all these small lots that would be great to put housing up.”
YIMBY is a grassroots organization made up of volunteers. They are always looking for other volunteers or donations. You can find more information on their website.