ADU Developer Launches in New York City to Meet Demand for New Types of Affordable Housing
Unit Two Development Will Empower Homeowners Building Accessory Dwelling Units in Backyards, Garages, Basements, and Attics
Company Will Help Shape Emerging Real Estate Subsector of Small Developers Focused on Naturally Affordable, “Missing Middle” Housing
New York, NY – August 13, 2025 – Unit Two Development, a new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) development company, today announced its launch to help a growing number of New York City homeowners build modest housing units in their garages, backyards, basements, and attics. The launch follows last year’s passage of the “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” zoning reform – which legalized the construction of ADUs across New York City – and rules recently released by the New York City Department of Buildings and Department of Environmental Protection.
The company has already engaged dozens of eligible homeowners, underscoring the demand for ADUs and the need for support in navigating the complex permitting process. ADUs, which offer flexibility for multigenerational households, space for caretakers, or supplemental income if rented, are a critical component to solving the housing crisis in New York City, which suffers from a rental housing vacancy rate of just 1.4 percent.
10 of 51 New York City Council districts – most often lower-density areas in Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island – each constructed fewer than 10 new units of affordable housing in the last decade. ADUs open a new lifeline of lower-cost housing for young people, older adults on fixed income, and working-class New Yorkers to access dignified housing in these neighborhoods, along with the schools, parks, and public services in these areas. Unit Two Development aims to help establish a new subsector of the city’s real estate industry, comprised of mission-driven companies that support incremental growth in high-opportunity, lower-density neighborhoods.
“New York has proven tools at its disposal for tackling its housing crisis, particularly with the landmark passage of City of Yes,” said Wil Fisher, Founding Principal of Unit Two Development. “Now’s the time for the housing community to come together to deploy these tools in a manner that is swift, affordable, and that accrues to the benefit of everyday New Yorkers. We look forward to demystifying the process to help our neighbors achieve stability and comfort in a way that was simply not possible before.”
Despite the significant reforms included in City of Yes, individual ADU projects in New York City still can require review by five or more government agencies and compliance with lengthy regulations, including the Zoning Resolution, Building Code, Fire Code, Plumbing Code, Mechanical Code, Energy Conservation Code, Housing Maintenance Code, and Multiple Dwelling Law. Based in Queens, where the greatest number of ADU-eligible properties exist, Unit Two Development aims to streamline this process for homeowners, serving as an owner’s representative and “government guide” through this process. Specifically, the company will provide:
Feasibility & Eligibility Review: Initial assessment of the client’s property to confirm an ADU likely complies with codes and regulations before engaging more costly professional services.
Design: Connecting homeowners with vetted architects and engineers that specialize in residential design in New York City and other necessary trades.
Financing: Identifying financing for ADU projects using the latest in opportunities from both the public and the private sectors.
Construction: Help homeowners bid projects out to, and choose from among, a roster of trusted, licensed, local contractors.
Unit Two Development was founded by Wil Fisher, one of three certified ADU Specialists™ in New York State, who has spent his career advancing housing and infrastructure projects across the city. Wil has spent more than a decade in housing and infrastructure in New York City, including at the Mayor's Office of Housing Recovery Operations, where he managed reconstruction of single-family homes damaged during Hurricane Sandy, and at the New York City Economic Development Corporation, where he negotiated land use approvals for thousands of units of affordable housing. Wil is a Global Exchange Fellow with the Urban Design Forum and – as a proud resident of Queens – serves on the non-profit boards of the Long Island City Partnership and the Queens Theatre.
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