Housing Types in Durham: ADUs, Duplexes, Townhouses, and More
More housing doesn’t always mean big apartments - here are the in-between options Durham regulates.
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What to Check
1. Is the area a Design District? If yes, Article 16 applies instead of housing types.
2. Is the underlying zoning allowing that housing type? (Some districts limit which housing types can be used.)
3. If it’s an ADU: watch the size cap and confirm “no parking required” expectations.
4. If it’s townhouses: confirm they meet the UDO definition (3+ attached units, each on its own lot).
1. Is the area a Design District? If yes, Article 16 applies instead of housing types.
2. Is the underlying zoning allowing that housing type? (Some districts limit which housing types can be used.)
3. If it’s an ADU: watch the size cap and confirm “no parking required” expectations.
4. If it’s townhouses: confirm they meet the UDO definition (3+ attached units, each on its own lot).
A lot of Durham housing debates turn on a simple misunderstanding: people hear “more housing” and picture one thing - usually a big apartment building.
But Durham’s Unified Development Ordinance doesn’t just regulate how many homes can be built. It also regulates what kind of homes - through “housing types.”
These are the “middle” forms you’ll hear called missing middle: things bigger than a single detached house, but usually smaller-scale than large apartment complexes.
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