‘It’s a long-term investment:’ First city of Bend-designed ADU is just weeks from completion

(Update: Adding video, comments from project manager, city of Bend)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Construction is almost finished on the first accessory dwelling unit (ADU) created under a new city design program, located on the east side of Bend.

"It's definitely a piece of the puzzle. It's not a short-term investment - it's a long-term investment," Project Manager Michael Bridges said Monday.

Bridges says contractors with Sierra James are expected to be done in the coming weeks, offering a fresh new start for the homeowner.

"There was a fire on his property," Bridges said. "He had a garage here that burned down and damaged his main house. He decided instead of rebuilding the garage, he wanted an ADU, and through researching that process, he came across the city's pre-approved ADU program," he said.

Last year, the city of Bend launched a program to assist homeowners wanting to build an accessory dwelling unit on their property.

It aims to streamline the building process and add much-needed supply to the housing market. The program has one approved, free floor plan, which costs roughly $200,000 to build.

"Basically, all you have to do as the homeowner is find a contractor, get a site plan, and then submit that to the city for review. And you're off to the races," Bridges said Monday.

The city of Bend says this ADU program will open up the possibility for more housing to be built within dense areas, and help residents who are often overlooked in affordable housing efforts.

Kerry Bell, middle-income housing coordinator for the city, said, "ADU is part of the housing continuum serving that middle-income household, this lower middle-income household, but also contributing to that gentler and more community-focused density effort."

The city says the program to support ADUs also will free up homes for lower-income families needing affordable housing. 

"This really is just one more component of that cost-saving effort that the city is going through, to save developers and the homeowner, and building ADUs," Bell said.