The Seattle City Council's public hearing on the new proposal regulating Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), formerly known as mother-in-law apartments, is on Monday, July 12, 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall (600 Fourth Ave., 11th floor). The Council is due to vote on this in August.

I extremely object to the proposed absentee owner changes. I can (I guess I'll have to) live with relaxed building codes, but allowing homeowners to move out after five years AND to allow homeowners waivers to move out sooner is NOT acceptable. This leaves neighbors (renters and homeowners alike) with uncontrollable, unregulated duplexes in single-family zoned areas. Neighbors have no recourse when nuisance and more serious problems arise.

Since this "new" ordinance will impinge most upon middle and working poor neighborhoods, the fabric and morale of Seattle will be undermined. These additions (duplexes) will NOT automatically supply affordable housing. Planned density is a plus. Without betraying single-family zoned areas, our city can encourage the building of attractive, affordable duplexes, four- and six-plexes, and low-cost court buildings - with the manager or owner on premises to ensure civility and safety to residents and neighbors.

Please influence the City Council to concentrate on others ways to increase housing. We need rentals, but not at the cost of Seattle's home base. The Department of Construction and Land Use and the Seattle City Council betrays our trust when they "defacto rezone" our single-family neighborhoods. Nick Licata speaks of "a vision thing." This IS a vision thing. People, who in good faith have worked and saved to have a home, will become discouraged when they are saddled with absentee landlord tenants next door. They will become disheartened about even trying to keep up, much less improve their blocks and neighborhoods. Absentee owner duplexes will weaken Seattle's uniqueness. We can save our neighborhoods and keep them alive for the future, and for the good of ALL the people of Seattle.

Please ask the City Council to remove from the proposed ADU Ordinance the changes stating that home owners who have added on an apartment may move away in five years and may easily seek a waiver to move much sooner. Ask them to retain the common sense regulations that governed mother-in-law units.

-MARY A. KENNEDY, Roosevelt-Ravenna