Report Explores Role of Duplexes in Addressing Housing Needs

‍Housing advocates and an economist teamed up Thursday to discuss the release of a report outlining how duplexes could play a role in addressing not just housing supply and affordability concerns but also influence family wealth-building and the needs of vulnerable populations.

The Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio (AHACO) and Scioto Analysis issued the report titled “Twin Goals: How Duplexes Can Build Family Wealth and Return Affordability to Central Ohio” and convened a panel of housing and development officials and regional residents to discuss its implications.

 Carlie Boos, AHACO executive director, and Rob Moore, principal at Scioto Analysis, said duplex ownership was a historical pathway to small business development and financial stability for working-class people, but are now disfavored by zoning codes.

 “Our housing policy continues to fight against that history … many of our communities still ban the duplex from the many neighborhoods that they were built for,” said Boos.

Scioto Analysis examined the proportion of parcels across Central Ohio communities on which zoning allows construction of duplexes without a variance or conditional use approval. In a few places, all or almost all parcels are zoned for duplexes, and in many none are. In Central Ohio’s 10 most populous cities, the proportion ranges from 51.12 percent of parcels allowing duplex construction in Lancaster to 12.8 percent in Columbus to less than 2 percent in Hilliard.

 The report discusses the potential benefit of duplex ownership through the lens of a fictional family, James and Delaney, who face some prototypical life situations – graduating with student loans, needing to help an aging relative, having a child go off to college. In their situation, the duplex provides rental income that can help secure retirement and pay off the student loans earlier, and also a place to house the aging relative and an alternative to campus housing for the college student.

 The report arrives at a $1.3 million economic benefit to the family when tabulating rental income, avoided assisted living costs for the aging parent and room and board costs for the college student, a faster student loan repayment schedule and other factors. Moore noted the report does not address tax implications of duplex ownership.

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