TAMPA, Fla. — As cities try to find solutions to the affordable housing crisis, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are becoming a more popular option. 

The small structure is built on the same lot as a single-family home, such as mother-in-law apartments and tiny homes. 

Realtor Stephen Friese started Suncoast Dwellings, an ADU construction company, about eight months ago due to the growing interest in the homes.

“St. Pete’s been growing and developing very well for the past 20 years," Friese said. "They realized and recognized a need to create more affordable housing. Rents in St. Pete have doubled, tripled and gone haywire, bonkers for years now.”

Madison Felio didn't know what to expect when she moved into an ADU in St. Pete last year. It's a small space, but big enough to play catch with her golden retriever, Phoebe. 

“I really wanted to be in what felt like a single-family home," Felio said. "I didn’t want to have to deal with neighbors above or below me or sharing walls with them.”

Felio also didn't want to pay the price tag that comes with a high-rise apartment or a single-family home. But she says her 600-square-foot space has everything she needs.  

“In my opinion, I get more for my money in terms of what I was looking for," Felio said. "And I have great landlords, so I don’t have to worry about maintenance or waiting days on end if something goes wrong.”

Kevin Bricker believes ADUs are a sustainable, long-term solution to creating more affordable housing. It's why he started his own company, Tiny Home Match, where he facilitates the construction of tiny homes to be used as ADUs. 

“It’s been a passion of mine to help out this affordable housing issue," Bricker said. "The prices don’t seem like they’re going to slow down anytime soon, so this could be a viable option for a lot of people.”

As ADUs grow in popularity, Bricker explained, there can be a lot of confusion for homeowners and residents. Building and zoning code requirements vary in each city. Bricker's goal is to educate people about the rules where they live and make sure they follow them. 

“What we want to do is show homeowners that this can add value to your property," he said. "You can create income on your current property – who doesn’t need extra income? – and then you can also offer an affordable housing scenario to another family.”

Before moving in to her ADU, Felio had seen them around St. Pete but never really knew what they were. Now, she sees them as a way to get the experience of living in a home at a more affordable price. 

“I just think with the cost of living and there being more demand than supply, maybe it’s just becoming more popular," she said. "And a lot of people who own houses who have lots of land are building them as another way of income for them.”

The City of Tampa is currently looking at changing city code to allow ADUs in more neighborhoods. Right now, they're allowed in East Tampa, Lowry Park, Seminole Heights and Tampa Heights.

The city has a meeting on March 12 at 6pm to hear from residents in Riverside Heights and Ridgewood Park about the future of ADUs.