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Red Membership Card

AARP Membership — $15 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal

Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine.

ADUs Come in Many Shapes and Sizes

Accessory dwelling units can be attached, detached, internal upper-level, lower-level and more

Since ADUs can be created in many different shapes and styles, they’re able to fit discreetly into all sorts of communities, including suburban subdivisions, row-house streets (either with or without backalleys), walkable town or urban neighborhoods — and, of course, large lots and rural regions.

The many shapes and sizes of ADUs

Follow the links below to learn about a variety of ADU types.

1. Attached ADU Addition

2. Garage Apartment ADU

3. Basement ADU

4. Internal ADU (Main Level)

5. Internal ADU (Lower Level)

6. Detached ADU (One-Story)

7. Detached ADU (Two-Story)

8. Detached Bedroom — and "Tiny Houses"

MORE ABOUT ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS

Download and share the handout Accessory Dwelling Units — What They Are, What They Can Do, a one-page PDF adapted from The ABCs of ADUs, a free publication by AARP.

Image showing 6 ADU types and a screenshot of the ADU fact-sheet

Visit AARP.org/ADU for links to more articles and to order AARP's free publications about accessory dwelling units.

The ABCs of ADUS

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