From duplexes to backyard homes: Elkhart passes new housing ordinance 

ELKHART, Ind. -- The City of Elkhart passed an ordinance to address the strict rules for structures other than single-family homes and apartment buildings.

Meaning it will be easier to create duplexes and other housing types throughout the city to address housing needs.
“Traditionally, we had development standards for single-family housing and apartment. We didn't really have much in between,” said Assistant Director for Planning for Elkhart Eric Trotter. “So now the new ordinance allows us, and we have established development standards for the missing middle and the housing between single-family and apartment complexes.”

Trotter said this ordinance will give residents and developers a single place to find information about available housing types and the codes they must meet. ABC57 asked 1st District City Councilman Aaron Mishler what specifically this means for residents.

“So for example, say you want to build a smaller home in the back of your yard for an aging parent or a college student. This will allow you to do that now, and should actually, I believe, lower some of the pressure when it comes to our our housing market to hopefully alleviate some prices,” said Mishler.

Local business Prairie Built Barns provide custom structures that can be transformed into these exact types of home units.
“We build them all the way up to 16 by 36, it would be a one bedroom house, for a couple or one person,” said lot manager Bill Ates.
Elkhart officials are taking this a step forward, by taking action on several other new housing projects across the city.

“Have a number of projects that are both under construction and planned. We have the Delta project on East Jackson,” said Trotter. “We have another apartment complex that's about to come online on East Street off of Waterfall, and we also have another complex that was approved earlier this year by the plan commission off Cassopolis Street, so we have a number of large, larger projects under construction in the planning stages are under construction."

Officials say the measure, which passed with unanimous, bipartisan support, demonstrates a shared commitment to address local housing needs and fostering economic growth across