Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s)
One of the relatively quickest and easiest ways to add smaller and more attainable housing units in Concord is through the construction of Accessory Dwelling Units, or ADU’s.
The Town of Concord allows ADUs up to 1,000 square feet by right, which means many homes in Concord have the potential to add smaller housing units to their property. ADU’s can be used by family members and/or rented to longterm tenants as an investment property.
ADU Resources
CHF ADU Workshop
On March 14th, 2026 CHF co-hosted an ADU Workshop at the Concord Library along with the League of Women Voters. The forum was attended by over 100 participants and included an array of speakers addressing ADU design, construction, and financing.
The workshop was filmed by Minuteman Media Network, and can be viewed using this link:
Link to ADU Workshop Video
Update on Financing ADU’s
In April 2026, Governor Healey and MassHousing Launched a new program for Affordable ADU Financing for Massachusetts Residents. “Second mortgages of up to $250,000 will help homeowners add an additional unit to their home.”
Click here to read the full press release on Mass.gov
Concord ADU Zoning Bylaws
Rules and regulations for building ADU’s in Concord are found in section 4.2.2.2 of the Concord Zoning Bylaws:
Click here for a link to Section 4 of the Concord Zoning Bylaws
ADU Testimonials
“Construction of our ADU in Concord has allowed us to live as a multi-generational family but with our own private space as well. We live in the ADU next door to, and connected to, the main house where our daughter’s family moved to from Maryland two years ago. She, her husband, and two children, ages 8 and 10, live a few steps away from us now. We share many of our dinners, taking turns cooking in our respective kitchens, and spend lots of happy times with the grandchildren, who also benefit from Concord’s fine schools. We are also happy to know that someday she will be able to rent the ADU to provide extra income as well as help address Concord’s housing shortage.”
-Concord Resident
“[Here are] an exterior & interior photo of [our] 520 sq ft, one-bedroom ADU above our detached two-car garage.
The motivation behind the construction is that our home didn't have a garage — so we were interested in adding a detached 2-car garage. That lead to the question of should we spend the extra money/time/energy in building an ADU above it? We needed to get a special permit with Concord (due to our smaller lot size), and it was approved. We used a general contractor to manage the job. We currently have a young tenant renting the apartment and it has been great.”
-Concord Resident
