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House committee advances bill to allow accessory dwelling units statewide
Summary
The House City, County & Local Affairs Committee passed HB1503 to make one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) a by-right option on single-family lots statewide; supporters said ADUs provide affordable choices and utilize existing infrastructure, while questions centered on sewer capacity, setbacks and HOA covenants.
Representative Clowney told the House City, County & Local Affairs Committee that Arkansas faces an affordable housing shortage and that House Bill 1503 would make accessory dwelling units easier to build by establishing a by-right ability to place one ADU on single-family lots statewide. Clowney said ADUs — small secondary units such as mother-in-law suites or garage apartments — increase housing supply without changing neighborhood character and can house seniors, renters and caretakers.
Clowney said the bill streamlines development by removing discretionary local permitting barriers that can require costly applications, site plans and public hearings. He cited home-price increases in parts of northwest Arkansas — saying the average home price rose about 65% in Washington County and about 73% in Benton County over five years — to frame ADUs as a tool to expand options without major new infrastructure spending.
Committee members asked practical questions. Representative Burks raised sewer and septic concerns; a committee respondent said ADUs are mostly in areas served by municipal sewer, and if a health department or sewer permit is required and capacity does not exist, the ADU could not be built. Representative Scott Richardson asked about homeowners association covenants; Clowney said the bill does not affect private agreements between private parties and would not override HOA covenants.
Mike Orndorff, a Little Rock home builder, testified in support, describing his experience building ADUs after Little Rock legalized them in R4 zoning. Orndorff said the discretionary approval process previously cost about $2,400 per unit and could take roughly 3–6 months from application to shovel in the ground. "ADUs are not the answer to the housing and affordable housing crisis, but ADUs are a part of the answer," Orndorff said, and he described instances of ADUs housing a special-needs adult, a displaced nurse and a small production business.
Clowney closed by reiterating the housing shortage and urging the committee to adopt a by-right approach. The committee approved the bill on a voice vote; there was no recorded opposition and no formal amendment was offered. The bill will proceed according to the House calendar.
