The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies hosts a video seminar titled:

Accessory Dwelling Units: Lessons From Around The Country

Although accessory dwelling units (ADUs) can address a host of housing challenges, zoning and land-use regulations often stymie homeowners who want to build them. Places like Portland, Oregon have removed restrictions and states including California, Maine, and Connecticut have new laws requiring local approval of ADUs that meet basic, statewide standards. In this talk, Ellie Sheild, a student research assistant at the Center, discusses her research on how these efforts might inform policymaking about ADUs in Massachusetts, where, in the absence of state guidelines, most cities and towns still restrict their construction. Jesse Kanson-Benanav, Executive Director of Abundant Housing Massachusetts joins Sheild in a conversation moderated by Chris Herbert, the Center’s Managing Director.