Accessory apartments ‘keep towns fresh’

LAKEVILLE — The Salisbury Bank and Trust Co. (SB&T) hosted a seminar at the main office, in Lakeville, about accessory apartments on June 8. Approximately 30 people attended. Presentations were made by Jocelyn Ayer, Accessory Apartments Program Coordinator for the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation (BTCF), and Patrick Hare, chairman of the Cornwall Planning and Zoning Commission. Hare literally wrote the book on accessory apartments, “Creating an Accessory Apartment” (1987).Holly Nelson, a director of both the BTCF and SB&T said, “Accessory apartments help keep our towns fresh, have low impact on communities and help meet community needs.”Accessory apartments, also sometimes called “in-law apartments” are living spaces created or remodeled from an existing space in a home; they can also be in a barn, over a garage or in another structure on a property. With a shortage of one-bedroom apartments in the Northwest Corner, accessory apartments have great appeal to renters and to landlords.Some of the benefits of accessory apartments can include: providing rental income to help pay a mortgage; adding value to a home; possible tax benefits; housing options for the community and landlords; the opportunity for homeowners to barter reduced rents for help such as shoveling walks and running errands (an arrangement that can allow seniors to stay in their homes). The presence of a tenant in an accessory apartment can also provide added security for seniors and those who travel frequently.For the community, the apartments can provide affordable housing options in areas where apartment houses are not popular.Accessory apartments have been increasingly discussed as a solution to the shortage of affordable housing options in this region. The concept seems to be catching on. Darlene Riemer, an architect from Amenia, reported that she is “getting more and more calls from folks interested in converting space to accessory apartments.”Ayer talked about some of the information services and guidance that the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation can provide — including a rough estimate of the cost of creating an apartment. She said the foundation also offers a class on how to be a landlord.Geoffrey Talcott, a senior vice president with SB&T, said many area banks offer financing packages aimed at making it attractive to homeowners to create the apartments.SB&T, he said, has some financing programs offering a half-percentage-point discount on such loans.Both Ayer and Hare said creating an accessory apartment can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $40,000, depending on what’s involved.A homeowner living in an area with septic systems, instead of town sewer, asked about the impact of adding an accessory apartment on such systems. Hare said, “It will usually, but not always, be allowed if you are adding only one bathroom.”In response to a question, Hare said the Civil Rights Act of 1968 allows the landlord of an owner-occupied building of up to four apartments to set any standards (such as no children) and gives landlords the right to accept or reject any tenant.Hare, an architect, said he has been a proponent of accessory apartments for most of his career. He presented a slide show of accessory apartments, including several he has owned. He offered some advice on setting a rental rate: “If you want to create an accessory apartment, think of getting reasonable rent, not getting rich.” He also said about 50 percent of accessory apartment tenants are family members (parents, children, grandchildren) and the rest are commercial renters. “While the 50-50 split is usual, any apartment can be one or the other over time,” he said.For information on Berkshire Taconic Communty Foundation services for people interested in creating accessory apartments call 413-229-0370 or email jayer@housingus.org.