🏘️ How ADUs Are Helping Solve the Affordable Housing Crisis in Western Washington
Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing our communities in Pierce, Kitsap, and Thurston Counties. As home prices and rent costs continue to rise, many families are being priced out of neighborhoods they’ve lived in for generations.
But there’s a powerful, homeowner-driven solution that’s gaining momentum:
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Detached ADUs (DADUs).
At Tacoma DADU, we believe ADUs aren’t just smart investments — they’re part of the answer to keeping housing affordable and accessible in our region.
🏡 What Is a ADU, and Why Does It Matter?
A DADU is a small, secondary home built on the same lot as a main residence. Think: backyard cottage, garage conversion, or guest house. These units provide independent living space—complete with kitchen, bathroom, and living areas.
With Washington’s House Bill 1337 now in effect (as of July 2025), most cities in our area — including Tacoma, Puyallup, University Place, Gig Harbor, Lakewood, Bremerton, Spanaway, and Graham — now allow up to two ADUs per lot.
That opens the door for thousands of new, small-scale housing options across our region.
💡 How ADUs Support Affordable Housing
Here’s how building an ADU can make a real difference:
1. More Supply = Lower Pressure
Adding more housing units — especially in urban and suburban neighborhoods — helps ease the pressure on local rental markets and stabilize pricing for working families.
2. Gentle Density, Not Mega-Development
DADUs add density without changing the character of a neighborhood. One extra unit per lot blends in naturally — and keeps communities walkable and family-friendly.
3. Rent That’s Actually Affordable
DADUs are typically smaller and more cost-efficient than apartments, which means they can be rented at lower rates — perfect for seniors, young professionals, students, and small families.
4. Multigenerational Housing Keeps Families Together
DADUs provide a way for families to house aging parents, adult children, or loved ones—without needing to purchase a second home.
A Win for Homeowners Too
Beyond the social benefits, DADUs make smart financial sense for homeowners:
- Create passive rental income
- Increase property value
- Add flexibility for future use (Airbnb, family, office, resale)
- Option to condo and sell the unit independently
It’s a rare opportunity to help your community while also investing in your own future.
📍 Building ADUs in Tacoma, Puyallup, and Beyond
Our team specializes in building high-quality, code-compliant DADUs throughout Western Washington — including:
- Tacoma
- University Place
Gig Harbor - Puyallup
- Lakewood
- Bremerton
- Spanaway
- Graham
…and other nearby areas.
We handle everything from design and permitting to final construction, and we understand the local rules that make your project possible under HB 1337.
Let’s Build the Future of Housing — Together
Tacoma DADU is a full-service ADU & DADU builder serving Pierce County. We’ll take a look at your property and design a custom ADU to fit your property and your needs for extra space. From there – we handle permitting, planning, construction, and everything in between. From brainstorming your space, to handing you the keys – we do it all.
With the new House Bill HB1337, condo’ing the property is a huge return on investment. Holding the DADU is absolutely valuable, but now you can condo and sell it separately from the existing home. It brings instant equity and allows for more home sales at a more affordable price. It’s just another benefit to building a DADU on your property.
If you’re in the Tacoma area and are interested in exploring your ADU/DADU options – give us a call or fill out our form right here to get in touch! We’re happy to discuss, educate, and explore how we can maximize your Pierce County property potential.
