In her 2024 State of the City Address, Mayor Michelle Wu announced that it was a priority of her administration to make it easier to build an ADU in Boston. Since then, the State Legislature took separate action and legalized ADUs by-right statewide in the landmark Affordable Homes Act. However, that part of the bill DOES NOT apply to the City of Boston. This means that the broad legalization and liberalization of ADU regulations that is being rolled out over the next year will not impact Boston. Instead, most Boston residents are still subject to the rules promulgated in a 2019 zoning amendment that only allow for ADUs in narrowly defined circumstances.
Steering Committee
To guide this campaign we have created a steering committee of residents from neighborhoods across the city. The steering committee meets once a month and is tasked with shaping the strategic direction of the campaign. If you want to join this committee, reach out to our Boston Organizer Elvira Mora.
Policy Framework
To truly make this affordable housing option widely available to current and future residents, we need broader and more comprehensive rules. Abundant Housing MA has created a policy framework for the City that outlines and details what we believe these rules should and how the City should approach developing them. Click on the links below to learn more.
Boston ADU Policy Framework Overview
Boston ADU Policy Framework Full
Like nearly every other aspect of the Boston Zoning Code, the rules governing ADUs are confusing. We have put together the fact sheet below to explain what the current rules are, where they apply, and what barriers exist to expanding ADU access.