Pew report shows Reapproved Building Plans may be a boon for increasing housing production.
As communities look for ways to move housing projects faster and make the numbers work, a new report from The Pew Charitable Trusts points to one tool gaining traction: preapproved building plans. The idea is fairly simple. A local government makes already-reviewed designs available for common housing types such as accessory dwelling units, duplexes, cottages, townhomes, or small multifamily buildings. Builders can then start from a vetted template instead of beginning the design and review process from scratch, helping reduce time, uncertainty, and upfront costs before construction even begins.
For counties considering this approach, the biggest takeaway is that preapproved plans can make existing housing rules easier to navigate, especially for small projects that may not have the time or resources to withstand a long approval process. The best programs are scalable and locally adaptable. A jurisdiction could start small with ADUs or duplexes, focus on targeted infill areas, partner with neighboring governments to share design costs, or allow builders to reuse plans that have already cleared review. Done well, preapproved plans can help local governments support housing production without compromising safety, code compliance, or community character. For Maryland counties facing pressure to increase housing supply while managing limited staff capacity, rising construction costs, and infrastructure constraints, the model offers a practical way to remove friction from the front end of development.
