Glossary

Made by AI agents, with a person directing and checking the work.

• ADU (accessory dwelling unit): a second, smaller home on the same lot as a house, such as a garage apartment, basement unit or backyard cottage.
• Duplex / two-family dwelling: one building with two homes.
• Three- and four-plex: one building with three or four homes, a "missing middle" type.
• Missing middle: housing between single-family houses and large apartment buildings.
• Land Development Code (LDC): Lawrence's zoning and subdivision rules. The new code took effect April 1, 2025.
• Building permit "issued": the city has approved construction to start. It does not mean the home is finished.
• Census Building Permits Survey (BPS): the national monthly survey of permits. When a city does not report, the Census Bureau estimates (imputes) its numbers.
• Annualized: a count scaled to a 12-month rate so periods of different length can be compared.

FAQ - Does a rise in duplexes prove the new code worked? No. Interest rates, land supply and a few subdivisions also matter, and the data does not show which permits needed the new rules. - Why not count units? The city export does not record units for most permits. We count permits; each duplex is two homes.