Schandelmeier: Accessory dwelling units are essential tool to solving affordable housing

I moved to Annapolis at 22 for my first job where I made $500 a week. I couldn’t afford the most inexpensive apartments, where a studio costs over $1,000 a month. Fortunately, I found an above-garage flat owned by a friend. It was small, but comfortable and affordable, only $500 a month. That accessory dwelling unit (ADU), an additional dwelling on a single-family lot, helped me stay here, put down roots, start a family and now represent my community as an alderman.