Fort Lauderdale officials back action plan to boost accessory dwelling units

Rachel Williams, housing and community development manager, told the City Commission and the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee that state law requires an annual review and adoption of affordable housing incentives and that the AHAC’s 2024 incentives report identified accessory dwelling units (ADUs) as a priority strategy.

The AHAC and staff presented an action plan that recommends four main approaches to increase ADU production: an education campaign, preapproved low‑cost architectural plans to simplify permitting, deed restrictions when public funds support units, and a tracking system to monitor growth and effectiveness. "The main barriers we identified during the work group were lack of awareness [and] cost," Williams said, adding that Fort Lauderdale’s zoning is already permissive in many areas.

Why it matters: City staff said ADUs could expand affordable and workforce housing supply with relatively small public cost if paired with education and targeted subsidies. City data presented at the workshop showed 798 ADUs currently exist in Fort Lauderdale and that roughly 5,100 parcels could host ADUs under existing zoning, while ADU production is constrained mainly by awareness and cost rather than zoning prohibitions.

Details of the plan and discussion

- Zoning scope: Chris Cooper, acting assistant city manager, said ADUs are permitted now in 8 of the city’s 12 residential zoning districts. Cooper recommended staff review the three annex-area districts to determine whether ADUs should be allowed there and keep one very low‑density district (RS‑4.4) unchanged to preserve existing low‑density areas.

- Design and cost controls: The action plan calls for a preapproved architectural‑plans database to reduce design costs and processing time. Commissioners asked how the city would procure those plans; staff said an RFP would likely be required because the city lacks in‑house resources to produce the plans.

- Funding and affordability protections: Staff identified likely funding sources for an ADU grant program as entitlement grant funds and state housing funds (which would require an amendment to the city’s consolidated plan), and the city’s affordable housing trust fund, which is typically funded by the sale of city property and payments‑in‑lieu. Rachel Williams said a simple amendment to existing plans could enable use of those funds and that, if funded, grants would be structured with deed restrictions or other covenants to ensure units remain affordable and not converted to short‑term rentals.

- Construction types: Commissioners discussed prefab units and shipping‑container construction as possible lower‑cost ADU options. Cooper confirmed prefab units have been used locally but must meet building‑code requirements.

Direction and next steps

Susan Sprague, chair of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC), asked the commission to accept the action plan and give direction to staff to work with AHAC on implementation. Commissioners present expressed general support and asked staff to review annex‑area zoning, pursue preapproved plans via procurement, and explore grant funding and deed restrictions. No formal roll‑call vote was recorded in the transcript; the item concluded with staff directions and a request to return with implementation details.

Ending

Staff said they will return with implementation steps including procurement for preapproved plans, how funding could be used through existing entitlement and trust funds, zoning reviews for annex areas, and creation of a tracking system. The AHAC and staff will continue working together on outreach and program design.