Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a few more neighbors on your street?

No, I’m not talking about stuffing more people into a single home. I’m not talking about a giant apartment complex. I’m talking about a handful of additional neighbors on your block, living in “accessory dwelling units” (ADUs)—in-law units, essentially––off of alleyways or within existing homes. These types of units have quickly grown in popularity across the Pacific Northwest, and in Vancouver, B.C., the “laneway home” has become a category of housing product all its own.

Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a couple additional people on your block, a few more potential friends? These small additional units make it easier for younger and older people to live in our diverse neighborhoods, and, if residents use the bus, make transit service more viable. And because they’re small and located on existing property, ADUs are naturally affordable.

Spokane has made a lot of progress toward allowing more “gentle density” in our neighborhoods. We’ve legalized cottage housing, and reduced parking requirements in certain areas. We clarified existing rules and regulations. Indeed, the “infill housing” amendments passed earlier in 2019 could bear fruit within the next few years as developers take advantage of the new rules.

But for (admittedly impatient) housing advocates like myself, the progress has been slow and insufficient, particularly on ADUs:

The City requires an additional off-street parking space, in addition to the stall required for the main home. Off-street parking is required even in the most walkable and transit-connected areas of our city, like Browne’s Addition and West Central.

The property owner is required to live in one of the units at least six months of the year.

A detached ADU can only be 600 square feet, and that’s assuming all of the other dimensional requirements work out on the property.

Because they are only allowed on lots larger than 5,000 square feet, detached ADUs sometimes can’t be built in the city’s older, more traditional neighborhoods.

The 20-foot maximum height can restrict small two story cottages.

Our city has the urban “bones” to be a “laneway home” leader. 

In the urban core and in close-in neighborhoods like Logan and Emerson-Garfield, average-size homes sit relatively close to the curb, with alleys in the rear and plenty of space for an additional unit. Many areas are within walking distance of services, shops, and frequent transit, reducing the need for off-street parking. An eclectic existing housing mix would make ADUs seem right at home. And we have growing housing affordability concerns which, if left unaddressed, could quickly escalate to a crisis. 

Meanwhile, Seattle is set to eliminate a host of similar requirements later this year. Tacoma passed its ordinance in late 2018. The State Legislature actually considered legislation this session to overturn local accessory dwelling unit restrictions.

It’s time. Let’s join the movement for more neighbors, “gentle density,” and laneway homes. 

Anthony Gill is an economic development professional and founder of Spokane Rising, an urbanist blog focused on ways to make our city a better place to live.