Needham
Norfolk County · Pop. 32,091
Needham has approved 4 of 4 ADU applications (100% approval rate) and has 4 of 8 bylaw provisions consistent with state law.
Based on 4 approved ADU applications and 32,091 residents
Permits
4 applications since the ADU law took effect in Feb 2025
| Address | Type | Status | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kendrick St | Internal | Issued | — |
| Standish Rd | Internal | Issued | — |
| Grant St | Internal | Active | $68,514 |
Bylaw Consistency
Needham is a textbook restrictive town — special permit required, no detached ADUs, owner-occupancy enforced. The result: 12 ADUs in 3+ years (Green Needham, April 2023). All 4 inconsistent provisions are preempted by state law. Planning Board is working on updates but hasn’t adopted them yet.
Provision-by-provision analysis available
We've mapped 8 provisions in Needham against Chapter 150. See which specific bylaw sections appear inconsistent with state law.
See full compliance analysisCost Snapshot
Based on 1 permitted ADU projects in Needham
Try the full cost estimatorADU Impact on Housing Production
In 2024, Needham issued 80 total residential building permits. In the first year of the ADU law, 4 ADU permits were approved — equivalent to 5% of prior-year housing production.
Source: Census Bureau (2024) via UMass Donahue Institute; EOHLC ADU Survey (2025)
How Needham Compares
Next Steps
Sources: EOHLC ADU Survey 2025. Individual permit records from municipal building department. Population estimates from 2024 Census ACS.
Disclaimer: ADU Pulse provides data for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal, financial, or construction advice.Bylaw consistency analysis reflects our interpretation of public records and may not reflect the most current local amendments.
See methodology for details on data collection, scoring, and consistency analysis.