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Is <br />t � a <br />dic <br />caxtc <br />Mks.. <br />IP <br />Like many regions across the country, the Twin Cities are facing a severe housing inventory <br />shortage. One strategy to address the shortage that has recently gained interest and support <br />is developing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Small houses or apartments that exist on the <br />same property lot as a single-family residence are referred to as ADUs. Sometimes known as <br />accessory apartments, secondary units, carriage homes, alley houses, mother-in-law suites, <br />or granny flats, ADUs provide more housing options in existing neighborhoods by allowing <br />homeowners to build additional units on their lots. ADU is a catch-all term for all these <br />situations —whether the unit is attached to an existing home, carved out of a larger home, <br />or placed elsewhere on the property, such as over a detached garage or as a stand-alone <br />structure in the back or side yard. <br />NeighborWorks Home Partners and Family Housing <br />Fund have examined ADUs in recent years to understand <br />and amplify their potential for helping Twin Cities <br />communities meet their housing needs. While many <br />municipalities in the Twin Cities region have changed <br />zoning code to allow ADUs in recent years, ADU uptake <br />has been slow. Together, NeighborWorks and FHFund <br />contracted ECONorthwest to investigate the opportunities <br />and challenges to building ADUs in the Twin Cities. <br />This report introduces the benefits of ADUs, explores <br />national best practices in supporting permitting and <br />development of ADUs, explores navigator models, and <br />summarizes findings from local focus group meetings <br />to determine the structure and feasibility of a navigator <br />model for the Twin Cities region. <br />"M <br />I <br />