Strategies to Expand Housing Opportunities in Lebanon County

Our Elders17% - residents 65+

30% - households include residents 65+

11% - households are 65+ living alone

Personal Impacts of Aging–Reduced hearing & vision

–Decreased muscle strength & endurance

–Decreased mobility & increased risk of falls

–Mental health conditions

“80% of elders …..want to stay in their own homes and never move.”

Project Goal: Expand affordable housing –Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU)

–Visitability

Accessory Dwelling Units

ADU Characteristics

Separate living space with kitchen and bathroom facilities that is subordinate to a single family residence.

Attached or detached from primary dwelling

Other Common Names

• Conversion Apartments• Accessory Apartments• In-Laws Quarters• Granny Flats• Carriage House• ECHO (Elder Cottage

Housing Opportunity)

History of ADUs•More common in early 20th

century single-family housing

•Post WWII suburban growth emphasized single family development and

prohibited ADUs

•Many unpermittedADUs exist in U.S.

ADUs Have Been Utilized Even Longer

ADU Types and Designs

Interior ADUs• Located within primary dwelling• Converts existing space attics/basements.

Interior ADU

ADUs by Addition•Living spaces added on to primary dwelling. •Located at side or rear of primary structure. •Extra bedrooms or attached garage

Detached ADUs•Structurally separate

from primary dwelling.

•Constructed over existing accessory structures or

•Built as separate units from accessory and residential structures.

ADU Benefits for the Family

•Keep families together

•Increase monitoring capacity for caregivers

•Relieve financial burden of mortgage payments and maintenance expenses

ADU Community Benefits•Increases housing options

•Increase affordable housing without public subsidy

•Dispersal of affordable housing

•Fosters community

•Smart growth goals

Basic Principles•Don’t over

regulate•Provide clear

standards

Lebanon County Ordinances

•Conversion apartments▫8 municipalities

•ECHO ▫3 municipalities

•Limited zones

Approaches for Lebanon County Zoning•Permit by right

▫Conversions ▫Detached structures▫ECHO (Elder Cottage Housing

Opportunity)•Fewer special exemption/conditional

permits •Allow in broad range of zones

Monitoring

•Allow for inspections▫Annual▫Code compliance▫Change of use▫Change of ownership

Design Standards•Setbacks

▫Meet requirements of primary unit•Lot size

▫Conforms with primary SFR requirement•Size of ADU

▫Maximum of 800 sq. ft. or no more than 35% of living area

•Bedrooms▫1 bedroom

•Kitchen & bathroom facility

Design Standards• Parking

▫One off-street parking space required

• Height▫Primary unit should be

higher than ADU• Appearance

▫Consistent architectural character

• Entrance▫ADU primary entrance

should not be accessed from main facade

Utilities•Multiple utility meters

allowed for:▫Water/Sewer ▫Electric

•Septic System/Well require certificate of capacity

Occupancy

•Owner ▫Lives in either primary unit or ADU

•Familial relationship with renter▫None required

•Renting allowed

VisitAbilityA movement to change home construction practices so that virtually all new homes offer a few specific features making the home easier for mobility-impaired people to live in and visit. –Concrete Change.org

Disability Statistics

Source: 2009 ACS

PennsylvaniaAge >5 years: 14.7% with a disabilityAge > 65 years: 51.4% with a disability

Source: JAPA 2008

NationwideA SF house built in 2000 has a 60% chance of being home to a disabled resident.

And a 91% chance of having a disabled visitor.

3-Main Elements of VisitAbility

Zero-Step Entrance

Doors and Hallways: 32” min width

At least ½ Bathroom on the Main Floor

Zero-Step EntranceMax Slope of the approach 1:12

http://universaldesign.org/author/sarah/page/2

Inaccessible SitesExcessive Slope

No Driveway

Lack of Rear Access

Masonbrosconstruction.com

32” Wide Doorways & Hallways

First-Floor Bathroom

http://www.visitabilitypa.com/visitability/bathroom.php4

http://www.equalrightscenter.org

History of Regulations1992 Atlanta, GA: City Ordinance for publicly funded homes

2001 Vermont: Comprehensive Mandatory Law

2002 Pima County, AZ: All new Single-Family homes By 2006 11,000 visitable homes constructed

1992-2008 Nationwide: 57 local and State laws enacted

2006 PA: Residential Visitability Design Tax Credit provides up to $2,500 credit to the property owner

Pennsylvania’s Visitability Requirements-Voluntary

No-Step Entrance with a threshold < ¾”

Entry Doors min. width 32”

Interior circulation 36” min. and Interior doorways 32” min.

1 bathroom with 30” x 48” min. clear floor space www.stpete.org

VisitAbility Construction Costs6 builders constructed 13 VisitAble houses in PA

• Site Work: $ 559.00

• Foundation: $ 841.00

• Garage: $ 54.00• Framing: $ 184.00• Interior: $ 122.00• Bath: $ 238.00• Total $1,660.00Average

Renovation Costs $6,000 - $8,000

Questions?