FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 22, 2023

Mayor Noble Launches ‘Yes to ADUs!’ Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Competition

KINGSTON, NY – Mayor Steven T. Noble is pleased to announce the launch of the Yes to ADUs! Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Competition.

The Yes to ADUs! Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Competition is part of the rollout of the Plus One Home Program, a partnership between the City of Kingston, Ulster County, and RUPCO. The winning firm or design professional will receive $25,000 for producing permit-ready construction documents that City of Kingston and Ulster County homeowners can use to obtain building permits to construct new, detached ADUs. A $3,000 award will be given to the best non-professional/student entry.

“We are excited to launch this design competition to help increase awareness about the many benefits of ADUs, which we believe can be a crucial step toward relieving the Countywide housing shortage while encouraging housing variety and affordability,” said Mayor Noble. “The design competition is a creative way to educate the public with tangible examples of how freestanding ADUs might look in their neighborhoods. The Yes to ADUs! design contest and the Plus One Home Program are part of my administration’s ongoing efforts to use every tool within reach to combat our housing crisis here in Kingston.”

“The Yes to ADUs! Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Competition, as part of the Plus One Home Program, is a unique opportunity for the public and private sectors to work together to address the shortage of affordable housing in Ulster County. We hope the competition will help catalyze innovative approaches to building cost-effective accessory dwelling units as well as educate and inspire homeowners to consider their role in helping provide more housing for our neighbors, young and old. I encourage all interested individuals and teams to participate in this competition, and I look forward to seeing the creativity and talent that will emerge from this collaboration,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger.  

“This design competition aims to bring new perspectives on what is possible and achievable when we harness our collective creativity to solve our housing crisis. I encourage teams to submit designs that will have a lasting impact on accessible, affordable, and sustainable housing options in the City of Kingston,” said Bartek Starodaj, Director of Housing Initiatives for the City of Kingston.

“We believe that the Yes to ADUs! The Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Competition is an innovative way to encourage homeowners to consider ADUs as a solution to the housing crisis in our communities. We are thrilled to partner with Ulster County, and the City of Kingston on this competition, which will increase awareness about ADUs and provide examples of how these units can be designed and integrated into existing neighborhoods,” said Faith Moore, Senior Vice President of Operations and Strategy at RUPCO.

Competition proposals are due on August 15, 2023. More details at www.engagekingston.com/adu-design-competition. 

As part of the competition, an ADU Public Forum will be held in June 2023 to educate residents about the benefits of ADUs, help residents understand if an ADU is right for their property, and provide information on the Plus One Home Program.

Launching this summer, the Plus One Home Program will provide funding to low and moderate-income residents to create new code-compliant ADUs. To be eligible, homeowners must meet the income threshold (i.e., earning 100% or less of Ulster County Area Media Income) and can receive up to $125,000 dollars for the construction or rehabilitation of an ADU. In exchange, the homeowner also must agree to rent the apartment at an affordable rate for a minimum of 10 years. The Plus One Home Program will provide a one-stop hub for assisting all interested homeowners in the financing, designing, and permitting an ADU.

The Yes to ADUs! Accessory Dwelling Unit Design Competition is funded with the City of Kingston’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

Mayor Noble established the Department of Housing Initiatives in 2020 to support housing planning in the City

of Kingston. The Department manages housing-related grants, supports the construction of new market-rate and affordable housing, develops policies to protect existing residents, and addresses the connection between housing and sustainability, health, and mobility. The Department also reviews the disposition of city-owned property suitable for housing development and collaborates with local and regional housing organizations. Current projects include city-wide rezoning efforts, the Tiny Homes Project, short-term rental guidelines and many more. Visit https://kingston-ny.gov/housing.