TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida lawmakers have approved a long-debated proposal aimed at making it easier to build accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, giving a boost to a housing idea supporters say could create more flexible, and lower-cost living options across the state.
Sometimes called “granny flats,” in-law suites or carriage houses, ADUs are small secondary homes built on the same property as a primary residence. Backers say they can help families house relatives, adult children, or workers in places where traditional housing has become increasingly expensive.
Rep. Danny Nix, a Port Charlotte Republican who sponsored the House measure, said the goal is to give Floridians more options while helping chip away at the state’s affordability problems.
“We’re trying to make sure that we’re helping with affordability in the state of Florida,” Nix said.
Under the proposal, local governments would face new limits on how much they can restrict the construction of those units, though supporters say cities and counties would still retain some authority over design and implementation.
Nix said the policy could help both families and the workforce.
“Now Floridians can have a place that maybe they want to put their in-laws in, maybe they want to put their children in, but also they can put long-term rentals in place that are affordable, so that our workforce has a place to be…” he said.
The measure was folded into a broader housing package this session and marks a breakthrough for an idea that has been circulating in the Legislature for years.
Sen. Don Gaetz, a Pensacola Republican who has also championed the issue, has previously framed the proposal as more than a housing measure.
“This bill is styled as affordable housing. It’s also a private property rights bill,” Gaetz said in 2025.
Gaetz argued ADUs can play a practical role in easing housing strain, particularly for workers who need to live near jobs.
“ADUs increase workforce housing because ADUs cost less to build … are less to rent, and are often located in an urban area where workers need to live to be close to their jobs,” he said.
The proposal drew bipartisan support, but Democrats said its passage does not make up for what they view as a broader failure by the Legislature to seriously address affordability this session, especially on housing and insurance.
“What have we done for affordable housing? Nothing. What have we done for our property insurance premiums? Nothing,” Senate Minority Leader Lori Berman said.
Even supporters have acknowledged the bill is only one piece of a much larger affordability challenge in Florida, where high housing costs and insurance premiums continue to strain household budgets.
Still, the ADU measure gives advocates a long-sought win and could open the door to more small-scale housing construction in neighborhoods across the state.
The bill now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who will decide whether to sign it into law.
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