After decades of decline, the City of Pensacola is growing and changing, leading to concerns about housing supply, diversity and affordability. One solution—small backyard homes known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs)—will be the subject of a workshop at the Pensacola Public Library from 10:30 a.m. to noon on February 2.

Workshop presenters, including an architect, a builder, a lender, a homeowner and a real estate agent, will discuss how to design, build and fund ADUs, which are built adjacent to existing homes. At the end of the event, attendees can tour an ADU adjacent to the downtown library. 

“An ADU can take many shapes and can be called different names, from garage apartments to granny flats, mother-in-law suites and more,” says Christian Wagley of Sustainable Town Concepts, a Pensacola consulting service. “They are a traditional part of the housing stock in older neighborhoods all across the country, including in Pensacola’s East Hill and North Hill.”   

In addition to providing housing diversity, ADUs bring the increased neighborhood population needed to support local businesses, Wagley says. They can also be rented to provide additional income for residents as the cost of urban housing increases, and provide an age-in-place option for seniors.

Cost: Free. Location: 239 N. Spring St., Pensacola, FL. For more information, call 850-687-9968, email [email protected] or visit PenADU.com.