ADU Survey Summary

Summary of Results

ADU Survey conducted in the Spring of 2021

by Jericho’s Affordable Housing Committee

An ADU, or Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), is an additional, small dwelling on an owner's property or an accessory apartment attached to a single-family home, garage or outbuilding. Our Committee wanted to explore ADUs as one method to provide more affordable housing in Jericho. To understand how ADUs serve our community today and how we can make them a more accessible option in the future, we asked Jericho ADU owners and renters to complete a brief survey. This is what we found.

Our survey was completed by 10 owners and 2 renters; representing roughly 15% of ADUs in Jericho. The survey data indicates ADUs in Jericho are primarily:

  • intended for long-term rental and/or family use,
  • 1-bedroom apartments,
  • attached to or within the primary dwelling, and
  • rented by adult-only households (rather than families with children)
  • for less than $1000/mos

This is substantially below what market rents would be for this area. Fair market rent for Jericho is $1,265 as determined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

While the expense of construction can be a barrier to adding an ADU, most of the owners that completed our survey reported the ADU existed at time of purchase (or had been included in initial construction). The more substantial barriers were navigating permitting and interactions with town officials or the unknown of being a first-time landlord (for example, how to identify good tenants).

NONE of the owners recommended against ADUs. Owners cited additional income and family need as their primary reasons for having an ADU. This endorsement speaks to the feasibility of ADUs, despite the barriers identified. Both renters strongly recommended ADUs as an affordable way to live in Jericho (both have been residents for multiple years).

Our survey supports the notion that ADUs are one way Jericho can attract new residents to our community with affordable housing and have current residents benefit from additional income or the flexibility of multi-generational living. It also suggests that there are already ADUs in Jericho that are not being rented, but would be if:

  1. Permitting, regulations, and town officials were easier to navigate and access
  2. Resources and answers to frequently asked questions were centralized
  3. Residents could be connected with neighbors who currently rent an ADU to share their experiences first-hand

To directly address these needs, the Affordable Housing Committee is developing an ADU portal on the town website. Stay tuned for its launch in the Fall of 2021!