ADUs catching on in Natick as housing option

Just five minutes into our interview, Ed Hudson excused himself to relocate to his living room. 

“My daughter and my granddaughter just walked in, so I’m moving rooms,” Hudson explained. “See, that’s one of the advantages of all living on the same property.”

For Hudson, small interactions like that are what made building an accessory dwelling unit (ADU)— a small residence on the same property as the primary home—worth it. As retired Natick residents, Hudson and his wife Mary wanted to “age in place” by keeping their existing home and proximity to downtown. 

So when the Affordable Homes Act passed in 2025, legalizing ADUs statewide, the Hudsons jumped at the opportunity. Natick quickly amended its zoning bylaws to align with the new act, and ADUs have been slowly but surely cropping up around town since: ten permit applications were filed in 2025, and another 8 in 2026.

The legalization of ADUs coincided with Hudson’s daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren deciding to move back to Natick, creating the perfect reason to build the ADU. Construction began in late 2025, and by 2026, their family had moved in. 

“The town was excellent in walking me through the permitting process and answering my questions,” Hudson said. “There were no unnecessary delays in the whole process in terms of approvals and getting to go ahead to start building.”

Hudson said he could see more residents beginning to build ADUs, especially as it makes sense for multi-generational living and allows residents to stay in town. A few people have inquired about the Hudsons’ ADU, leading him to believe others are considering it. 

“Everybody’s ADU journey is going to be a little bit different,” Hudson said. “We had a kind of a challenging project, but we’re very happy with the results.”

Although the Hudsons’ ADU is one of few right now, that may soon change. Since Natick changed its zoning rules, homeowners have increasingly begun exploring their options—and so have architects. 

New England-based architect Jillian Rene “J.R.” Coffin decided to found Dwelly, a company specializing in building ADUs, following their legalization in Massachusetts. The company helps homeowners navigate new ADU bylaws and offers designs tailored for the New England landscape.

Coffin said she has noticed a large increase in projects related to ADUs since they were legalized statewide. 

“Before the new law, I’d regularly hear from homeowners who assumed an ADU wasn’t allowed on their property, so they never looked into it any further,” Coffin wrote in a statement to The Natick Report. “Now the first question isn’t ‘Can I?’ but ‘How do I get started?’”

Dwelly’s own numbers reflect that interest. According to Coffin, roughly 1,000 people visit the company’s website each month to learn about ADUs, with about 20 homeowners per month expressing interest in building one.

The company was also recently selected as a feasibility study provider—a firm that assesses the practicability of a project before construction—for the Massachusetts Housing Partnership. Through the program, a professional study that would normally cost about $800 can be offered to homeowners for $300.

For most homeowners considering ADUs, Coffin wrote that rental income is rarely the primary motivation—rather, they’re trying to “solve a very personal problem.”

“Maybe an aging parent wants to live independently but nearby,” Coffin wrote. “Maybe an adult child has been priced out of the local housing market. Maybe a homeowner wants a little more financial flexibility without having to leave the neighborhood they’ve spent years investing in.”

For Coffin, that personalization is what makes ADUs so compelling. 

“Rather than replacing existing homes with larger developments, they’re a thoughtful way to create more housing choices within the community that’s already there,” Coffin wrote. 

Still, allowing ADUs does not necessarily make them simple to build.

Coffin said one of the biggest misconceptions among homeowners is that statewide legalization means every property can automatically accommodate one. Local setbacks like building codes, stormwater regulations and energy requirements can limit a project’s feasibility. 

Pushback from neighbors can also impact a homeowners’ willingness to build an ADU. Although opponents of ADUs worry that they may alter the character of their neighborhoods, Coffin wrote that most projects aren’t geared toward maximizing development.

“Almost all of the homeowners I work with [are] building for family,” Coffin wrote. “Those kinds of projects don’t change the character of a neighborhood—they strengthen it by allowing families to stay rooted in the communities they love.”

Although ADUs are still relatively new to the East Coast, Coffin thinks they are here to stay. 

“I think Massachusetts is at an inflection point,” Coffin wrote. “Between the new ADU law, state incentives, and growing homeowner interest, ADUs are becoming a practical, long-term housing solution.”

More info on ADUs from the town of Natick.

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