EDC Will Not Build Interior, Non-Owner-Occupied ADUs for Absentee Landlords

Evanston, IL – In a closely debated discussion on September 13th, 2021, Evanston City Council voted 5-4 to reject a moratorium on the construction of interior, non-owner-occupied accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

 While we were opposed to the moratorium, we share the concern around absentee landlords near Northwestern University’s (NU) campus articulated by proponents of the resolution.

 Interior, non-owner-occupied ADU projects built by for-profit absentee landlords hardly align with the Evanston Development Cooperative’s values, and we will not be in the business of building them.

 As a worker cooperative committed to community wealth, we believe in a circular local economy that keeps dollars in our neighborhoods. Absentee landlords, utilizing housing as a capital tool for profit rather than a basic human right, contradict our vision for a people- and community-owned solidarity economy.

 We pledge to turn down all inquiries to build interior, non-owner-occupied ADUs for absentee landlords.

 The Evanston Development Cooperative (EDC) designs and builds energy-efficient ADUs for Evanston homeowners and residents. As a community-owned worker cooperative, EDC pursues initiatives focused on housing affordability, racial equity, and climate resiliency.

For more information, please email info@evanston.coop or call (847) 497-0167.