MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Milwaukee’s plan to increase housing diversity through accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, has received a vote of approval.
The Common Council passed a proposal Tuesday that would allow for the detached “granny flats” as well as additional internal units to be constructed on most residential properties in the city. The properties have earned the moniker as they are often used for intergenerational living arrangements.
“When it comes to diversity of housing options, Milwaukee needs to stay in alignment with its peer cities and the region as a whole. ADUs are a commonly used tool that yields a variety of benefits for cities and residents such as creating more affordable and intergenerational housing. I’m thankful that a majority of my colleagues saw fit to pass a less restrictive version of my ADU legislation that provides us with another option to continue to tackle our city’s housing issues,” said Common Council President Jose Perez in a statement. Perez was an original co-author of the ordinance proposal alongside Alderman Bob Bauman.
The measure passed by a slim 8-7 vote.
The discussion preceding the vote centered around whether or not ADUs built within the city’s single-family housing zones would need special permission. A proposed amendment authored by Alderman Scott Spiker that would have required the Board of Zoning Appeals to approve internal A-D-Us in single-family zoned areas failed to pass.
Spiker argued that the ordinance as approved Tuesday would prevent residents from knowing what was happening in their neighborhoods, and could also have the opposite effect of encouraging new residents to move in, instead pushing them to surrounding suburbs that have higher levels of single-family housing.
“By cutting out that local alderperson’s input, you’re in essence preventing them from doing what folks have elected them to do,” said Spiker.
The concept of ADUs has been legalized in several communities surrounding Milwaukee, the City of Wauwatosa is offering $25,000 in assistance for ADUs built in 2025. West Allis also allows ADUs, with the stipulation that one of the units on the property must be owner-occupied at the time of construction.
Several Common Council members protested Spiker’s reservations, arguing the city is in a housing crisis and needs to enact “crisis-like responses”, as noted by Alderwoman Marina Dimitrijevic.
Data from Redfin indicates Milwaukee home prices were up 9.3% compared to last year, selling for a median price of $235,000 in May of 2025.
The ADU ordinance will now head to Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s desk for his signature.
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