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6 7 <br />A historic form of housing <br />Although there is a recent resurgence of interest in ADUs, they are actually a <br />historic form of housing that was common in the Twin Cities before World War II. <br />For example, in the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul, new immigrants would <br />commonly build an alley house in the back of their lot while saving to build a larger <br />home in the front (McClure 2018). Many carriage houses (living quarters located above <br />garages) were built alongside larger homes and are still used for housing today. Some <br />modest single-family homes included attic or basement apartments that helped to <br />house larger city populations in the early- and mid-20th century. <br />How are ADUs different <br />from duplexes? <br />While they share some similarities, ADUs <br />are generally differentiated from duplexes <br />(two-family houses) in their size, construction <br />timing and use. City building and zoning laws <br />often treat the two housing forms differently. <br />• An ADU is smaller than the main home. Units <br />in duplexes are usually about the same size. <br />• Duplexes are usually in the same building, but ADUs <br />can be located within, attached to or detached from <br />the main home. <br />• Duplexes are usually built as one construction process; <br />ADUs are often built after the main home is completed. <br />• ADUs are designed as flexible housing and can generate <br />rental income, house multigenerational families or serve <br />other uses. <br />Could a tiny house be an ADU? <br />Most tiny houses on the market are set on <br />trailers and have wheels. These are categorized <br />as Recreational Vehicles (RVs) and are usually <br />not allowed as a permanent living space. <br />However, if a tiny house meets residential <br />building standards, is placed on a permanent <br />foundation and is connected to utilities, it <br />could be considered an ADU. Ask your city’s <br />building department to learn more. <br />Is the usable space above <br />my garage, in my basement, <br />or in my attic an ADU? <br />If the space has a living area, a kitchen, <br />a bathroom and its own entrance, it may <br />be an ADU. ADUs must also meet certain <br />residential building code requirements, so <br />check with your local planning office. See <br />also Legalizing an Existing ADU on page 38. <br />Is a granny pod an ADU? <br />In 2016, the Minnesota Legislature approved <br />a definition of “Temporary Family Health <br />Care Dwellings,” the backyard dwellings <br />sometimes called “granny pods.” The statute <br />defines them as mobile residential dwellings <br />or providing care for a mentally or physically <br />impaired family member. Most Minnesota <br />cities do not allow these temporary care <br />dwellings, and they are treated differently <br />from ADUs in local code (Bekker 2016). <br />1 Jane McClure, “Alley House,” Saint Paul Historical, accessed August 9, 2018 <br />Coach house at Minnesota Governor’s Residence. <br />PHOTO CREDIT Minnesota Department of Administration <br />Types of ADUs <br />There are three basic types of ADUs: <br />Internal <br />Attached <br />Detached <br />ADUs are located within the structure <br />of the main house, for example, a <br />converted basement or attic. These are <br />generally the least expensive to build. <br />ADUs share one or more walls with <br />the primary house. These ADUs are <br />commonly constructed as additions <br />or conversions of attached garages. <br />ADUs are the most visible type <br />of ADU. They are typically the most <br />expensive to build and include <br />freestanding backyard structures, <br />detached garage conversions, <br />same-level additions to a detached <br />garage or above-garage units.