“I come home with my pay
She asks me what I made
She thinks her advice is the constitution
But if she would leave, that would be the solution
And don’t come back no more
Mother-in-law, mother-in-law”
— Ernie K-Doe, “Mother-in-Law”
The next great hope to address the rental housing crisis in the City of Kingston has been destigmatized. Once called mother-in-law apartments, accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, appear to hit the sweet spot between the dire need for new rental housing units and the entrenched opposition in many communities against new housing construction.
ADUs refer to additional units built on existing residential properties. They would include detached backyard cottages in the garden, a room built above a garage, a cellar refurbished into a cozy below-grade subterranean living space, or converted existing garages or attics.
To incentivize property owners in Kingston, and any other Ulster County municipality which allows ADU’s, up to $125,000 been made available per project, compliments of the New York State Division of Homes and Community Renewal (DHCR).
Fourteen other municipalities from Amherst to Ithaca, from Shelter Island to Hastings-on-Hudson have received grants from $85 million in the 2022-2023 state capital budget for creating and upgrading ADUs.
Jointly, Kingston and Ulster County received $1.75 million. Known as the Ulster County Plus One Home Program, the funding is part of a five-year housing plan to help cope with the lack of apartment stock statewide.
“Kingston welcomes the development of new accessory dwelling units,” said mayor Steve Noble. “The Plus One Home Program has big potential to fill a gap in our housing stock and provide much-needed housing choices for Kingston residents.”
The Plus One money will only be made available to low to moderate income property owners- those currently earning 100% or less of the Ulster County Area Median Income (AMI). According to the Department of Housing and Urban Renewal (HUD) the current AMI for Ulster County is $112,400.
Senior Planner for the Ulster County Planning Department Kai Lord-Farmer points out that the $112,400 is the income limit to be considered for a household of four. Depending on household size the number moves on a sliding scale.
Mortgage Lender Fanny Mae notes that ADUs add value to a borrower’s home, provide additional space for extended family, and can allow a borrower to earn rental income — all while helping address the affordable-housing shortage.
While Rupco, which is spearheading the project locally, refers to ADUs as “backyard cottages” or “separate units within your own home,” the cost of building an ADU on one’s property may add up. Design fees, site work and material costs connecting a new structure to existing water and electric lines takes a substantial bite out of funds dedicated to the construction process.
For those Ulster County residents interested in a deeper dive into the details, a public information meeting is scheduled for Thursday, July 13 in a barn at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, where attendees will be walked through the process and get answers to their questions.
The hope is that the initial funding of the two-year program can be used to catalyze the development of a permanent countywide ADU program. The city government has launched an Accessory Dwelling Unit design competition offering a $25,000 reward for the firm or design professional which can produce permit-ready construction documents which other homeowners can use to obtain building permits to construct new detached ADUs.
The best non-professional/student entry will be able to claim a $3000 award.
The City of Kingston has been an enthusiastic proponent of ADUs. The Kingston Common Council recently embraced a new tax exemption that will allow propertyowners to deduct a portion of the value of new ADUs from their assessments.
As the council noted in 2021 allowing more ADUs in the zoning code would allow a convenient living arrangement that allows family members or other persons to provide care and support for someone in a semi-independent living situation.
ADUs could help those in the community looking to shelter in place and weather the storm until the severe housing crisis has subsided, and home prices and rents become more affordable again.
AMI limits by household size are available on the RUPCO website. Applications will become available starting on July 13, 2023.
Join the family! 
