Orlando homeowners could soon get up to $10,000 in cash rebates — plus rebates on permit and impact fees — to build accessory dwelling units on their properties and rent them as workforce housing, under a new citywide incentive program heading to city council for a vote today.
The ADU Incentive Program is one of three interconnected affordable housing items on the February 23 consent agenda. The other, Orlando Unlocked Open Door, targets 300 vacant lots in Parramore with builder incentives and up to $45,000 in buyer down payment assistance. Together they represent the city’s most direct push at the “missing middle” — residents who earn too much for traditional affordable housing but are priced out of a market where the median single-family home tops $415,000.
Two tiers of incentives
The program creates two levels of support for homeowners interested in building ADUs — sometimes called granny flats, in-law suites, or backyard cottages.
Tier One is for everyone. The city will solicit pre-approved ADU plans through a competitive process, creating a library that any Orlando homeowner can purchase at a fixed price. Because the plans would be pre-reviewed for code compliance, permitting would be streamlined. The solicitation is expected to open in April and will accept all design types — attached, detached, and garage conversions, a city spokesperson said…