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Accelerating ADUs

Session 1C | Wednesday | 2:45 – 4:00 PM (PT)

About the Session
 

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) expand housing opportunities, increase affordability, and grow wealth—but just because they are legally possible doesn’t mean they get built. This session is focused on practical programs and tools that local governments and their partners are using to demystify the ADU development process, help homeowners make savvy development decisions, create more equitable ADU outcomes, and reduce the time and cost of going from concept to built reality. It will include short presentations by seasoned practitioners on case examples, best practices, and proven tools from communities that have been at the forefront of ADU development along the West Coast and key takeaways that can help advance ADU production in Washington communities.

About the Moderator

David Driskell
Community Planning Collaborative
 

David has practiced and taught participatory planning for over 35 years. Now based in Seattle, he is a founding principal of Berkeley, CA’s Community Planning Collaborative (formerly Baird + Driskell Community Planning). Recent work includes development of the Napa Sonoma ADU Center's Plans program; serving as lead technical assistance provider for the 16-jurisdiction Santa Clara County Planning Collaborative; leading a regional work group on Missing Middle Housing; and developing Salt Lake City's first Anti-Displacement Strategy, Thriving in Place. He previously served as Seattle’s Deputy Director of Planning and Community Development; as Boulder, Colorado’s Executive Director for Planning, Housing and Sustainability; and as UNESCO Chair for Growing Up in Cities at Cornell University. He is a graduate of Stanford and MIT; serves on the national board for ICLEI-USA; and is a lead author for the Urban Climate Change Research Network’s Third Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities.

About the Speakers
 
Scott Johnson

Napa Sonoma ADU Center

Scott Johnson has more than 18 years of experience in project management and urban planning. He has worked statewide for public agencies, private clients, and non-profits on environmental studies, urban infill and equitable housing projects. His work in policy and urban planning is grounded in his early experiences in construction. In recent years he has focused on ADUs as a mechanism to help bring equity and availability back to housing in California. ADUs provide a unique opportunity to provide local housing for local workers while providing flexibility and resilience to the home-owners that build them. Scott lives in Sonoma County with his wife and children and enjoys hiking, camping, and talking about ADUs to anyone who will listen.

Katherine Peoples McGill

HPP Cares

Katherine Peoples McGill is Executive Director of HPP CARES Community Development Corporation in Long Beach, CA, where she is focused on supporting the low- and moderate-income (LMI) BIPOC community. Her journey in community development began in 2009 when she worked with victims of predatory lending at NACA. This experience inspired her to establish HPP CARES, a not-for-profit HUD Housing Counseling Agency that operates across 54 counties. Recognizing the need for accessible resources, Katherine launched an online educational platform, providing valuable tools and knowledge remotely. She also established a for-profit small business development center, empowering entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth within the community. Katherine is an approved CALHFA ADU Grant provider, helping to bring affordable housing to fruition. Through HPP CARES' program, "HOW TO ADU,” Katherine educates consumers on ADU development while advocating for equity and consumer protection. Her unwavering commitment to community empowerment has earned her widespread respect and admiration.
Nick Welch
City of Seattle, Office of Planning and Community Development

Nick is a senior planner at the Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development who focuses on equitable land use and housing policy. He is currently overseeing housing policy and anti-displacement strategy in the One Seattle Comprehensive Plan, which promises to remake Seattle’s zoning for housing. Nick has led efforts to promote accessory dwelling units as a strategy for infill housing, affordability, and stability and created the City’s ADUniverse platform. Previously he helped shape Seattle’s landmark Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) inclusionary rezone and was instrumental in bringing a focus on racial and social equity into the Seattle 2035 Comprehensive Plan by developing the Growth and Equity Analysis. Nick has a master’s degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University, where he also graduated summa cum laude in International Relations and Spanish. He is a competitive distance runner and lives in Seattle with his wife, toddler, and dogs.

 

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