Louisville & Lexington ADU Conference
A new and flexible housing type has recently been permitted in Kentucky's two largest cities.
Most commonly referred to as the Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), this housing type is defined as a secondary independent unit on a single-family lot. ADUs are versatile in both form and function, meeting the needs of young professionals, those aging-in-place and everyone in between. Such an opportunity has residents and industry professionals alike asking – How might I make the most of this new housing option?
The Louisville and Lexington ADU Conference, which originally aired on February 1 & 2, 2022, offers national expertise on areas that are critical to the success of Accessory Dwelling Units as an emerging housing type.
These recorded sessions (linked below) offer valuable information for a range of knowledge levels when it comes to ADUs. One key objective is to provide industry professionals with a primer on how to approach the procedural elements of ADU establishment on a project-level. The other objective is to offer information on how ADUs serve as a vehicle for diverse, attractive, and accessible housing both in form and in the inclusive regulatory changes that they inspire.
Read about the approved regulations relating to ADUs in Kentucky:
For more information on other initiatives and reports relating to code reform:
Session Recordings
Recordings of all six sessions may be accessed using the links below or by visiting the "Imagine Lexington" playlist hosted on the Lex TV YouTube channel. As a companion to these recordings, we have compiled a document of resources/links mentioned throughout each presentation. These include all links share within the chat box during each speaker's presentation.
Mornings with Planning - ADU Edition
Councilwoman Nicole George, District 21, Louisville, KY
Councilwoman Hannah LeGris, District 3, Lexington, KY
Joel Dock, AICP, Planning Coordinator, Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services
Chris Taylor, Administrative Officer, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
Learn the basics of both Louisville and Lexington’s ADU regulations and the work and coordination required by planning staffers to get each proposal to an approval. Elected officials from each city also discuss the necessary partnerships, advocacy efforts, and political approach involved in the process.
ADU Design & Construction with Bryce Jahner
Bryce Jahner, NCGC, Executive Director: Construction + New Markets, Haven Design|Build, Durham, NC
How might the design and construction industry take advantage of the unique market that ADUs provide? Hear the answer, along with other building industry insights, from an experienced residential designer and builder who is turning this newly available product into a sustainable business model.
ADU Appraisal with Abdur Abdul-Malik
Abdur Abdul-Malik, SRA, ASA, AGA, HMS, Chief Appraiser, A Quality Appraisal, Portland, OR
How do you appraise ADUs? Learn from an ADU appraisal specialist as he explains the details of appraising these units without readily available sales comparables. This critical step is key to ensuring the financing works for the homeowner.
ADU Lending with Milton Manolis
Milton Manolis, National Renovation Sales Manager, loanDepot
What are the lending options for ADUs? While ADUs are new to Louisville and Lexington, they have been financed in other national markets for a long time. In this session, a lending professional with years of experience financing ADUs will explain how to utilize traditional lending options for these units.
ADUs and Real Estate with Florentine Christian
Florentine Christian, MA, Founder and CEO, Sidekick Homes, Los Angeles, CA
How do I market and sell properties with ADUs? A Realtor with extensive experience in ADUs will discuss multiple facets of the ADU design and permitting process, as well as provide insight on evaluating, listing, and selling properties with existing ADUs or those with ADU potential.
Missing Middle Housing: Thinking Big and Building Small to Respond to Today's Housing Crisis
Dan Parolek, AIA, Founding Principal, Opticos Design
The architect and planner who created the concept of Missing Middle Housing in 2011, launched missingmiddlehousing.com, and wrote the book, “Missing Middle Housing: Thinking big and Building Small to respond to Today’s Housing Crisis,” will do a deep dive into the various Missing Middle Housing” types and their successful application in other cities. He will also discuss the role of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) within the Missing Middle Housing conversation, why that is an important initial step, and why cities and developers need to think beyond ADU application to effectively address their housing issues.
Special thanks to our event partners
A big thank you to AARP and AARP-Kentucky for their continued support of Accessory Dwelling Units both locally and nationally. AARP has contributed funding, outreach, and other support for a multitude of Lexington's projects relating to ADU education.
We also want to thank Louisville Metro Planning and Design Services for co-hosting this event.