Dwelling
A dwelling is a place where people live as their home. It’s any home space meant for living and sleeping, usually with a bathroom and often a kitchen.
A dwelling unit just means one separate home inside a building – like one apartment in a multifamily house.
When someone asks “is your property ADU ready?”
It is a marketing/eligibility question: can your property, with proper DOB filings and construction, legally host one of these small extra units for family or rental income under the City of Yes / ADU programs.
In NYC terms, an ADU (Ancillary/Accessory Dwelling Unit) is a self-contained dwelling unit on the same lot as a one- or two-family house, usually max 800 sq ft, with its own kitchen, bathroom, sleeping area, and private entrance. When someone asks “is your property ADU ready?” they are usually asking whether:
- Zoning on your lot allows an ADU (residential use, not in a restricted district, not in certain flood/historic areas).
- The existing building/lot layout gives a realistic place for an ADU (e.g., basement, attic, garage, or yard for a small detached structure).
- You, as the owner, can satisfy the “owner must live on the lot” rule for ADUs in NYC.
Hiring the Right contractor
revised 3/26/2026
Related terms
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