Details

Title	Adding An Apartment to Your House, New Opportunities for Home Owners
Highlights	There was implicit recognition that Vermont citizens did not understand the rules for developing accessory dwelling units.   Vermont created a brochure describing the laws that apply to creating and renting an accessory dwelling unit.                       There was implicit recognition that accessory dwellings were not encouraged in Vermont.   Vermont enacted a statute that allows accessory dwellings in single-family neighborhoods and requires local government ordinances to be consistent with state law.
Description	This brochure, produced by the Vermont Department of Community Affairs, describes the process owners must use to obtain approval to add an apartment (accessory dwelling unit (ADU)) to their home. The brochure lists a number of advantages to adding an ADU to an existing house. It describes an ADU as an efficiency or 1-bedroom apartment that is clearly secondary to the main owner-occupied residence, along with several other restrictions. It describes the state permitting process for construction, electrical, plumbing, drinking water, and wastewater. It also provides contact information for local regulatory bodies. The brochure explains some of the potential tax implications when renting property to others. It also describes how state civil rights laws, Vermont’s Landlord Tenant Law, and the Rental Housing Health Code apply to the ADU.
Publication Date	2005
Organization	The Vermont Department of Community Affairs
Web Location	http://www.dhca.state.vt.us/Housing/accessory_apts.pdf

Notice: The contents of this record reflect the views of the author and/or promulgating municipality, and should not be construed as representing the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or U.S. HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research. No attempt has been made by U.S. HUD or its contractors to verify the accuracy, currency, or validity of the record contents presented herein.