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charm and lifestyle, the associated regulations and cost — which can exceed $300,000 per unit — have meant the concept has been slow to catch on. Minneapolis greenlit the structures in 2014, and 176 building permits have been issued for them. Suburbs, including Stillwater, Eagan, Roseville and Bloomington, have also altered city code to allow ADUs in single-family neighborhoods, and have seen a smattering built. Minnetonka, which has permitted ADUs in some form since the 1980s, has 61 units. "We are talking about building a brand new home with all the amenities and components that go into a single-family home, it's just on a smaller scale," said Minneapolis architect Christopher Strom, who specializes in ADUs. "The reality is new construction is expensive, whether it is a full-sized home or an ADU — it isn't going to be a quick return on investment.." Price, regulations are prohibitive When homeowners do go for it, it's a lifestyle choice, Strom said. Space for aging family or snowbird parents, a home office or a guest house that can generate income as a short- term rental are some of the most common reasons that prompt folks to invest. John Shannon, owner of HyR Building LLC, said he gets lots of inquiries about ADUs but has had plans for them fall through three times in as many years in Minneapolis. Like many cities, Minneapolis has restrictions on the books that can make ADUs a hard sell, Shannon said, including limitations on height and distance from the main residence. Most Minneapolis ADUs must be built above garages because of the small size of city lots, but regular garages can't typically support a structure above them, Shannon said. To make it work, a new garage with a supportive foundation often must be built, which can get expensive for a relatively small living space, he said. "A lot of it comes down to price per square foot for construction," he said. Twin Cities leaders say it's understood that ADUs will not solve the region's housing shortage, but rather are one piece of a larger solution. Both Minneapolis and St. Paul planners say they have repeatedly eased regulations on ADUs to make the process easier, though interest in Minneapolis has waned since the city legalized duplexes and triplexes in the lowest-density residential areas in 2020. "A centerpiece of our comprehensive plan is to expand the range of housing options in all neighborhoods," said Jason Wittenberg, Minneapolis manager of code development. "It's nice to have a variety of tools in the toolbox, including ADUs." Versatile structures According to city planners, ADUs fall into three categories: a detached guest house, often built over a garage; an attached structure built as an addition to the main home; or an internal unit, which includes basement or attic spaces transformed into separate living quarters. Because zoning rules and definitions vary by city, it can be difficult to pinpoint the number of ADUs in the Twin Cities region.Metropolitan Council data based on a voluntary survey of cities show there were 146 building permits issued for ADUs between 2016 and 2021. After losing their detached garage to a fire, Minneapolis couple Michael Graven and Kirsten Jaglo worked with architect Strom to build a new garage with a second-story ADU (https://www.startribune.com/linden-hills-homeowners-rebuilt-destroyed-garage- with-the-greenest-adu/600093630/) . The 650-square-foot home includes an elevator, solar panels and added insulation to reduce energy consumption.