Free ADU plans aim to boost worker housing in Kootenai County

COEUR D’ALENE — Free, pre-approved plans for accessory dwelling units that may boost local worker housing were unveiled Wednesday.

"Keeping citizens in their neighborhood leads to stronger communities," said Lynn Fleming, member of The Housing Solutions Partnership.

She said the ready-to-go designs will lower production costs, speed up the building process and simplify "what can be an overwhelming task." 

"ADUs are another tool to grow our area smartly and efficiently," said Fleming, who is also a member of the Coeur d'Alene Planning and Zoning Commission.

The project, which was more than two years in the planning, was presented at the North Idaho Building Contractors office before about 20 people.

Kiki Miller, a Coeur d’Alene City Council member and a founder of the Housing Solutions Partnership, said ADUs offer a practical solution to the area's housing crunch.

She said the lack of attainable worker housing is "the primary reason we should be concerned about the economic soundness of our community in the future."

An ADU is a small home or apartment built on the same property as a single-family residence. Basements, attics and garages can be converted into ADUs, or the ADU can be a detached, standalone structure.

ADUs are allowed in Coeur d’Alene, Hayden, Post Falls and Kootenai County.

Miller said providing free ADU plans remove financial barriers for residents who want to build an ADU on their property.

“One of them is that because the plans have been essentially pre-approved, a builder will not have to wait as long for permits and can repeat the same process multiple times," she said.

ADU proposals were sought from local architects, home designers and engineers. A group of past NIBCA presidents selected four plans, which were reviewed by building department officials and local planners.

Winning designers were Hall Design and Drafting, Rau Home Design & Drafting Service, Honor Built Homes and Lakeside Architecture. 

Tina Holtz, founder and CEO of Honor Built Homes, said they enjoyed the opportunity to work with public and private sectors to help meet housing needs.

"This is a stepping stone to many and what we hope is a start of something better," she said.

Art Elliott, committee member and NIBCA past president, said ADUs provide a way to increase housing density while taking advantage of underutilized spaces such as backyards and garages. 

"We can add housing without compromising the character of existing neighborhoods," he said.

Each ADU will be a maximum of 800 square feet. They will be energy efficient, cost effective and easier to build, which will keep costs down, Elliott said. Some features, such as color or roof design, may be altered. 

"They're ready to go, cutting the time for getting a building permit way, way, way down," Elliott said.

Because zoning and building codes vary among jurisdictions that allow ADUs, the partnership created a white paper that includes addendums for use specific to each jurisdiction, information from the county and Panhandle Health District, and information for those with septic or aquifer considerations.

Miller said when a homeowner adds an ADU to their property, they can help offset mortgage payments or generate additional income. She said retirees looking to downsize could live in an ADU and rent out their main home.

“There’s no one single solution or quick fix to the county’s housing issues,” Miller said, “but the partnership and its partners are implementing strategies to make a difference for as many residents as we can while continuing to keep in mind things that work for existing neighborhoods. This is one of them.” 

Info: www.housingni.org and www.nibca.com.