History of Non-Permitted Conversions and Structures

I have been reading a good deal about ADUs and my research has taken an evolutionary step. I have decided to focus on Non-Permitted Dwelling Units in Olympia, WA. I hypothesize that non-permitted structures make up the majority of conversion housing and small structure dwellings in Olympia. There is little research on illegal small structures and conversions, but the phenomenon of non-permitted dwelling units is constantly referenced in ADU literature. A study focused on illegal structures will be beneficial to the academic community concerned with housing for changing American demographics. The literature review itself has become a synthesis of references to illegal dwelling units in the literature.

I recently found an article (Thanks to Martin Gellen's Book) from Housing Research published in 1954 by A. M. Woodruff. It is titled "Conversion of One-Family Houses to Multifamily Use." This places illegal conversion of single-family houses to multifamily use in a historical perspective. It is revealing to learn that many of the problems we face with zoning regulations and permitting was common place 60 years ago as well. According to Woodruff, "Regardless of what the law says on paper, maintenance of housing standards depends on active enforcement. A "poor" law well observed produces better results than a "good" law poorly enforced," (17). Much of the literature I am finding places ADUs and Accessory Apartments history during the 1980's when professionals such as Martin Gellen and Patrick Hare emerged, however, conversions (legal or not) have been in the planning literature as far back as Woodruff's 1954 article, and I argue have been in existence, in the European context of America, since colonialism.

On a side note, I realize that my own artistic endeavors sometimes become convoluted with the purposes of this blog, so I have created a new blog pairoducks.blogspot.com. For more info on the pedal powered forge click the link.

aduresearch.blogspot.com will remain loyal to ADUs and non-permitted structures and conversions from this day forward. I deleted previous unrelated postings.