A group says building more duplexes could create additional affordable housing in central Ohio while building wealth for homeowners.
The Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio released a study this week that finds typical families could reasonably expect to earn or save almost $1.3 million over the course of a lifetime. They can do that through traditional rental income, renting to traveling workers and housing older relatives to avoid assisted living expenses.
"So a typical homeowner may use that duplex to house a family member who would otherwise need some level of institutional care, which can be very, very expensive," Affordable Housing Alliance Executive Director Carlie Boos said.
The report said there are more than 12,500 duplexes in central Ohio with 25,047 units.
Abut 77% of those are in Franklin County. But duplexes make up just 3.3% of all homes in Franklin County.
The housing alliance wants communities to change zoning laws to allow more duplexes to be built.
Boos said some communities are zoned to allow more duplexes to be built.
"So you will see some communities like Powell for instance. Duplexes are allowable almost everywhere, 90% of Powell would permit a family to build their own duplex," Boos said.
But the report found that zoning laws in central Ohio communities allow duplexes on only 17% of parcels.
There's significant variation in the 11-county region, from 2% in Marysville to 12% in Columbus, 58% in London.
Duplexes are prohibited or subject to discretionary or conditional approval in at least 79% of the region, the report said.
Tod Bowen, executive officer of the Building Industry Association of Central Ohio, said varying regulations among communities make it difficult for builders. "It's a universal challenge," he said.
Bowen said central Ohio needs more duplexes to boost the housing stock and increase affordability. "It's an excellent step," he said.
"Overall, we need more housing of all types in central Ohio," he said.
Boos said owner-occupied duplexes also help neighborhoods by providing affordable, locally-managed housing.
"As opposed to what we see increasingly is a concern about more and more of our homes being bought up by people who are outside of our region who don't have a vested interest in seeing our community succeed," Boos said.
