The city of Gainesville broke ground Wednesday on a new home renovation project, but city leaders hope for much more from a new program that helps homeowners construct accessory dwellings units (ADUs).  

Nearly all residential homes can add up to two ADUs by right. Gainesville code has some restrictions like setbacks and building heights, but if those requirements are met, homeowners can build new dwellings unit to rent out or have for family. 

Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony started a series of five home construction projects on city-owned parcels that will finish with five single-family homes and 10 ADUs on the separate properties.  

However, the ceremony also officially unveiled six ADU building plans drafted by the city of Gainesville and offered to the public for free starting May 15. Any homeowner can go to the city’s website, click through the plans, download the plan and hire a contractor to build the ADU.  

Andrew Persons, Gainesville’s chief operating officer, said the plans were created to meet Florida Building Code, and because city staff made the plans, homeowners know they’ll pass inspection. It also saves time and money for homeowners searching for plans online or hiring someone to create a building plan. 

Persons added that if someone submits an ADU application with one of Gainesville’s building plans, city staff can approve the process much quicker, freeing staff time. 

Persons said the applicant just needs a site plan to show where the ADU will fit on the property. The goal was to create an “over-the-counter” type of application that can quickly be checked and approved.  

The six ADU plans provide some flexibility, including studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom designs and a two-story design for more constrained lots.  

“I work on a lot of projects. This one, I think, holds a special place in my heart because it’s really the best of the city,” Persons said. “It’s when you have different areas coming together to create something that’s more than the sum of its parts.” 

Mayor Harvey Ward said he attends conferences with experts, saying to start thinking about innovations like the free ADU plans. But Gainesville has already been putting action to thinking, he said.  

“The city of Gainesville, as we’ve done with other things, has thrown the kitchen sink at the problem,” Ward said. “We are going to do something to make housing more affordable, homes more affordable right here in Gainesville.” 

Ward thanked previous city commissioners who pushed for housing reforms that helped expand ADU access, including former Mayor Lauren Poe and commissioners Adrian Hayes Santos and David Arreola. Recent code changes allow two ADUs on most residential parcels. 

City Manager Cynthia Curry thanks Gainesville staff for their work on the process. City Architect Sarit Sela and Deputy Chief Plans Examiner Linda Maze handled a lot of the work to build the new plans.  

Curry said the momentum was already underway when she joined as city manager. She said a smart city gets things done and tries to get ahead of the curve when possible. 

“This is an opportunity for us to diversify our housing stock here in the community and have other ways for folks to be able to afford clean, safe housing,” Curry said.  

Besides providing plans, the city of Gainesville also has financing assistance for residents who want to rent ADUs at certain affordability levels. Persons said the city can help fund the ADU construction using federal dollars sent through the Home American Rescue Plan Act.  

Persons said the funding is limited—$1.6 million in federal dollars and another $400,000 contributed from Gainesville’s general fund.  

For the city-owned lots, Gainesville plans to contract the renting process to a housing provider, like the Gainesville Housing Authority. Persons said that it will happen through a competitive bidding process.  

The city hopes to finish construction of the first home and two ADUs by the end of the year, with a contractor already lined up for the project.