Shutterstock

I’m not sure if this is a thing everywhere or not, but where I live, a lot of people have started building ADUs, which stands for accessory dwelling unit. Basically, they’ll convert a garage, carport or shed to a small apartment on their property and rent it out.

In this story, one homeowner actually built not one, not two, but four ADUs on his property. That’s quite a lot, and the neighbors are furious.

However, the neighbors seem to be taking out their frustration on the wrong people, the renters.

Keep reading for the perspective of someone who is renting one of these ADUs.

New to a family neighborhood

I just moved into one of the few affordable places in my area. It is a newly renovated ADU in a very family oriented, quiet, neighborhood.

It looks nice, so myself and my roommates moved in right away since we were being priced out of our current apartment.

The neighbors are not happy about all the new neighbors.

Very quickly, we realized that the neighborhood was not into the whole idea of 4 ADUs in one lot. (I had no idea, I was initially told it was two).

There are about 10 people in one property, and multiple cars in our driveway, with about 4 parking in the street.

Our neighbors despise when we park in the street an have threatened to tow us when we or our visitors park there.

They’ve asked us if we’re planning on staying long term, they’ve come to our door banging asking if we parked in their driveway without greeting us. (To be fair, that instance one of the visitors from the ADU accidentally parked in their driveway but it was a onetime occurrence)

He understands the neighbors’ perspective.

I have always grown up with an open door policy in my house so we do have visitors at least 2-3 times a week. No parties except on holidays.

I’m just wondering how we can live together without trouble.

I understand that it is a nuisance having the landscape of their block changed. I think it’s crazy to have so many units in one space.

Had I known it was frowned upon by the community, I would have def gave it a second thought.

It’s not like it would help if they moved out.

Regardless, it was *literally* all we could afford that checked all our boxes. (Space-parking-amenities)

Anyways, I feel like they’re unkind to us, stare, and all just generally have animosity at us.

I want to change that, but I feel like the dynamic has been so off from the start. Also don’t feel so open to it based on how we’re treated, as if we build the adus, as if it wasn’t us it would obviously be taken by someone else.

If the neighbors want to be mad at someone, it should be the homeowner who built 4 ADUs in the backyard. The people who rented them out are innocent in the situation.

Let’s see how Reddit responded.

This person has some good questions.

Another person has a question about parking.

Here’s a suggestion to try to be friends with the neighbors.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a renter who receives a text saying his landlord has passed and asking for checks to go to a different account, but he’s not sure it’s real.

Another person has a neighborly idea.

I’m not sure if these neighbors will ever be friends, but that’s okay. If parking is the problem, they just have to make sure they park legally. Then they can ignore the neighbors’ complaints while still understanding that the neighbors are simply upset that the neighborhood has changed.

Moving wouldn’t change anything for the neighbors.