Property owners interested in building accessory dwelling units and vendors interested in helping them do it will have a chance to meet in April at the city’s first ADU expo to be held at the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center. The expo, in partnership with Ulster County and the City of Kingston Housing Task Force, is the latest effort to promote the construction of ADUs as one solution to the city’s affordable housing crisis.

ADUs are small stand-alone living units either built into the envelope of a single-family home — like a basement apartment — or freestanding on a residential parcel. Once banned in many neighborhoods, the city’s “Kingston Forward” form-based zoning code adopted in 2023 made ADUs an as-of-right use citywide. Since then, the city has adopted a state law that provides tax breaks for ADU construction and, along with Ulster County, sponsored an ADU design competition. Working with housing nonprofit RUPCO, Ulster County also sponsors a grant program that can cover up to 100 percent of the cost of building an ADU in any community where they are permitted.

“Accessory dwelling units are one of the most practical tools we have to expand rental housing and create small-scale, affordable places for people to live,” said County Executive Jen Metzger. “At the same time, ADUs help existing homeowners by providing an additional source of income to pay the bills and to age in place. It’s truly a win-win on the housing affordability front.”

The expo scheduled for April 10 from noon to 6 p.m. at the Andy Murphy Neighborhood Center at 467 Broadway is intended to connect homeowners with the tools, knowledge and connections needed to construct an ADU on their property. In addition to representatives from city and county government and the nonprofit sector to help guide homeowners through the process of getting approval and financing for ADU construction, the event will also feature architects, builders and other experts.

“As part of our commitment to Ulster County’s Housing Smart Communities initiative, the City of Kingston Housing Task Force hosted a series of community sessions that made it clear there is strong interest in building accessory dwelling units, but many residents were unsure where to begin or how to navigate the process,” said city Director of Housing Initiatives Bartek Starodaj. This Expo is a direct response to that need.”

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is recommended. Participants can RSVP by clicking here. Vendors interested in participating in the expo can find an application by clicking here.