Building Better Waterbury is a four-session presentation series developed by the Housing Task Force to educate and empower individual property owners to increase housing capacity through the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and duplexes.

The Building Better Waterbury education series is co-sponsored by Waterbury Public Library’s Adult Learning program.

This session highlighted best practices for designing and constructing accessory dwelling units in ways that both preserve the unique character of our town and make our living spaces more resilient. Greg Montgomery, an architect and the co-founding principal at Osso Studio in Waterbury, reviewed examples of ADU designs and key specifications in building and fire safety requirements. Examples included both detached units and those attached to the main residential structure on the property. CReW executive director Mike Dacey explained how design and materials choices can strengthen a structure’s resilience to major weather events and reduce flood damage, in particular. Sandy Sabin, a resident of Waterbury Center, concluded the presentation with a recounting of her experience in converting a flood-damaged basement space into a cozy and resilient rental unit.  

Session #1: Zoning and Permitting Demystified 

Session #3: Financing (April 15)

Session #4: Rental Property Management (May 13)

All sessions are held in the Library SAL Room and on Zoom at 6:00 p.m.

housing@ waterburyvt.com