With the passage of less-restrictive regulations for accessory dwelling units, Sussex County Council has taken a step in offering more options for affordable housing.

ADUs have been a housing option since the late 1990s. Before the changes, the units were designated as garage-studio apartments with strict regulations, including no kitchens, which are now allowed.

The county permitted fewer than 75 ADUs over the past five years. County officials are hopeful that number grows exponentially.

In effect, ADUs are the tiny homes housing advocates have been promoting.

ADUs are self-contained dwelling units that are secondary to the principal dwelling unit on a property and include independent-living facilities with a separate entrance, bathroom and kitchen. The unit may be attached or detached from the primary dwelling. ADUs do not include duplexes, tourist homes or guest homes.

When the county was developing the ordinance, the subject of rental units was barely mentioned. However, the county will not discourage the ADUs as rentals even though the original vision was owner-occupied units.

The idea is catching on. Sen. Russ Huxtable, D-Lewes, has introduced Senate Bill 23, which requires local governments to permit construction of ADUs without prohibitive barriers, or onerous application or zoning requirements, with the goal of expanding affordable housing.

And the City of Lewes is in the process of creating a new ordinance concerning ADUs to offer more long-term affordable workforce housing. 

One of the incentives in the ordinance is to exempt an owner who rents units from gross receipts tax if the unit meets affordability guidelines maxing out at $1,400 per month.

Lewes Mayor and City Council will hold a public hearing on the ordinance during its Monday, Aug. 5 meeting.

We applaud each effort but at the same time urge the same governments to take a serious look at ways to create more development of affordable and workforce housing, which is desperately needed in the county and its towns and cities.