Are Accessory Dwelling Units part of Missing Middle housing?

April 8, 2024

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are not part of the core Missing Middle housing types. But, like Missing Middle housing, ADUs can add housing options to existing single-family neighborhoods. In other counties, ADUs are regulated as small, self-contained units detached from a single-family home, attached above a garage, or within the primary structure.

A single-family home converted into two or more units could also include an ADU, but Missing Middle housing encompasses a wider spectrum of configurations that allow for more than one additional unit. Unlike Missing Middle housing, ADU regulations in most other counties only allow construction of rental units that are legally part of the larger single-family home on the property. Importantly, ADUs can accommodate the needs of aging homeowners and enable seniors to age in place. The 2018 American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Home and Community Survey found that 67 percent of adults would live in an ADU, and a third of respondents would consider building an ADU. ADUs constructed to function as rentals can also provide a vital income stream for homeowners.  

Currently, ADUs are prohibited in Prince George’s County. Policy changes to allow ADUs could be forwarded independently or as a supplement to Missing Middle housing.