Pennsylvania currently faces a major housing shortage – over 100,000 by some estimates. As a result, home prices and rent are climbing and will continue to skyrocket for everyone.

To address this shortage and the major housing affordability crisis in our Commonwealth, we intend to introduce legislation to expand access to a specific type of needed, attainable housing.

Accessory dwelling units (ADUs), also known as granny flats, guesthouses, or backyard cottages, are independent residences that are detached from, attached to, or within a larger primary dwelling on a single lot. ADUs are coming back into popularity across the country as more people recognize their benefits to property owners, seniors, and communities. Thirteen states – red, blue, and purple – have acted to legalize ADUs in the last four years alone, including Montana, Massachusetts, Maine, Arizona, Arkansas, and Iowa.

Our legislation will ensure ADUs are permissible in Pennsylvania, provided they follow essential guidelines, and reduce the red tape that currently prevents their construction. This legislation will ultimately reduce the cost of ADUs for those who need them by reducing regulatory hurdles and providing clarity for construction. It will also reduce the burden on municipalities to enact individual ordinances on ADUs.

Please join us in lowering housing costs for all by providing for the construction of more attainable housing options for Pennsylvanians.