Good morning Chairman Singleton and members of the Committee, and thank you for the opportunity to testify on S2347. My name is Christina Kata, and I am the NJ Policy Associate for Regional Plan Association. RPA is a century-old non-profit organization that conducts research and advises communities in NJ, NY, and CT on urban planning issues.
RPA is excited to see the conversation about ADUs advance in the Senate. ADUs have been a policy priority of ours for years now, and we’ve been working with a broad coalition of age-friendly and housing advocates, non-profits, trade associations, urban planners and more to encourage the adoption of a statewide ADU bill.
Homes that meet the needs of people at all income levels and all stages of life are critical for healthy, thriving communities. ADUs are one tool in the toolbox. They create housing options within the context of existing neighborhoods and present an unobtrusive, homeowner-driven approach to increasing the housing supply. ADUs can give homeowners a new source of income, create more options on the rental market, and enable multigenerational living.
Adults young and old stand to benefit from ADUs. In NJ, the average household size has shrunk over the last 10 years, and the share of the population that is 65 or above has grown. At the same time, the overall share of housing stuck in the form of single-family detached homes has stubbornly remained at 53%. And large single-family detached homes may work for some but aren’t always the right fit. ADUs help older adults to age in place by providing an accessible dwelling, housing a caretaker, or providing rental income, and ADUs can give young adults the opportunity to move into or return to the communities they grew up in but might be priced out of.
And they are not a new idea. Many people in this room probably have or know someone who has an ADU, mother-in-law suite, granny flat, backyard apartment, or casita. They’re also a popular idea - in a 2022 survey we conducted with Global Strategy Group, 65% of New Jerseyans supported legalizing ADUs.
Across the country, states and municipalities see ADUs as a commonsense policy to help boost naturally affordable housing. More than half a dozen states, including California, Connecticut, Montana, and Utah have laws that legalize and encourage ADUs, and they are already seeing clear benefits. Several municipalities in NJ have grandfathered in homes with ADUs or have adopted ordinances to enable their construction - because they recognize that this is a win-win for towns and for residents. Increasing density where housing already exists can reduce per-unit infrastructure expenses for utility and transportation capital projects, generate income from permitting, and increase the property tax per square foot that the local government collects.
Jersey City, Maplewood, Montclair, Newark, Princeton, and South Orange have recently passed ADU ordinances. While we applaud their initiative, tackling ADUs town by town is a piecemeal approach that can be confusing for residents and other stakeholders. People across the state, not just in these towns, can stand to benefit from this policy.
Uniformly legalizing the creation of ADUs statewide would create predictability and consistency. It would create an economy of scale that would lower the cost of construction. It will simplify the process, create more housing for residents of all generations, and allow greater flexibility within the context of existing neighborhoods.
To conclude: ADUs are a tool in the toolbox to create more inclusive, affordable communities. We are heartened to see ADU legislation be prioritized by this Committee, and look forward to seeing this commonsense policy advance. Thank you for allowing us this time.
