Reading...

Well I've been digesting a fair amount of literature on accessory apartments and structures. Right now I'm reading Martin Gellen's book "Accessory Apartments in Single-Family Housing" from 1986. I've been collecting and reading as much as I can to complete my literature review chapter. Much of the literature about accessory apartments and structures has been focused on the aging population, however, most studies that I have read conclude that the majority of people utilizing accessory apartments and structures are not necessarily senior citizens (Nancy Chapman and Deborah Howe. "Accessory Apartments: Are They A Realistic Alternative for Aging in Place?" ). It appears that financial benefit is the reason most ADU owners give for converting unused space into an additional dwelling unit. With the changing demographics of American families and the increasing size of the single family house, there is significant potential to use space more efficiently, by increasing housing options without increasing the number of structures to the housing stock (Gellen).