Does your ADU have a landline phone for emergencies?

In January, fire scorched Los Angeles—the largest urban area fire in California in at least 40 years. Beyond this tremendous loss of homes, the need for additional housing is at an all-time high, as “more renter households are cost burdened than ever before, and a record number of people are experiencing homelessness,” according to a Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University report.

Clearly, we’re dwelling in a time of housing crisis. If you follow the news, you understand that the need for accessory dwelling units (ADUs)—living spaces built in or alongside main residences—has never been more urgent, regardless of where we call home.

But in an age of unpredictable and extreme weather, not to mention myriad personal health challenges post-COVID, safety is also paramount. What happens if there’s an emergency in an ADU? Will first responders know where to go when every second counts?

ADU homes need a unique address—and a home phone line

You may have already constructed ADU housing on your property in the form of a granny flat or tiny home. This is excellent foresight (and potential additional income).

Now consider what might happen if your ADU resident discovers a gas leak, or leaves something too long on the stove, or has some other type of emergency. How will emergency crews find the precise location? (The rom-com “Queen Bees” depicted a similar scenario. Ellen Burstyn plays a forgetful elder who goes to take out the garbage, leaving the stove on. By the time first responders arrive, her kitchen is literal toast.)

An emergency phone is essential because, as much as we rely on them today, cell phones aren’t altogether reliable in a crisis. A cell phone won’t point to the exact ADU location. The battery might be running low. Or cell service could be sketchy in the area. And often, when we’re under stress, as in the film, we don’t think clearly. Burstyn locks herself out of her house with the kitchen on fire.

Whatever is transpiring in your ADU, the person in your ADU rental might be too upset to recall the specific address. Suppose your backyard ADU adds the letter “B” to your street address to differentiate it from the main house. Will the person who needs assistance think of this in a crisis?

When emergency response time is critical, your ADU must have a dependable way to summon help to the right location, fast.

The best emergency phone for your accessory dwelling unit

This is why your ADU needs its own landline phone to protect those who live on your property. If you use your ADU as a short-term rental (STR) for Airbnb or similar brief stays, it’s vital that those who are there be able to get help in an emergency. In fact, some counties require STRs to have a home phone with 911 services.

To help your ADU comply in the easiest and safest possible way, Ooma offers free phone service. All you pay are the applicable monthly taxes and fees, which are typically $6 to $9—you can calculate yours here. STR phone service provides peace of mind: a reliable home phone service that saves time in an emergency, without adding a costly phone bill.

A VoIP phone allows your guests to make calls over the internet instead of through traditional copper lines, and include the specific ADU address, including the location of the unit (floor level and unit number). Here are some VoIP and 911 FAQs.

Basically, when a customer activates their Ooma phone service account, they provide a valid address within their country of purchase (U.S. or Canada). When someone in ADU housing dials 911, the ADU’s service address is relayed to emergency response personnel so help can be dispatched to the proper location.

Though a landline may seem quaint to your guests, they’ll appreciate knowing you’ve created a safe and welcoming environment. Life happens, and it pays to be prepared. With Ooma as your VoIP phone service provider, you can even receive text or email alerts when an ADU resident calls 911.

Make your accessory dwelling unit fully resource-full!

Speaking of preparation, if you do use your ADU for short-term rentals, think about including a list of other local resources you can leave by the emergency phone. On a recent trip out of town, a colleague sustained an injury and had to extend her stay. By exploring every option to find the resources she needed, she discovered she soon knew more about the town’s support system than many locals who’d lived there for decades!

Your ADU tenants shouldn’t have to find such resources on their own. Consider the kinds of services your temporary tenant might require, and create a highlighted list with contact information, including location and point person where possible. You never know when it might be the most valuable information you provide, other than the ADU itself, and the emergency phone. Ooma has an emergency contacts template you can download and fill out.

ADU housing and elders

While Burstyn didn’t live in an ADU in the movie, many seniors do, thanks to their family members constructing a backyard ADU to keep mom or dad close as they age.

Ooma is at the forefront here, too, with the Ooma Senior Phone Bundle. This is an easy phone for seniors to use, offering dependable access to emergency services, 24/7 concierge support—and perhaps most crucially, advanced call blocking that keeps seniors safe from scammers. It’s the ideal emergency phone for ADU homes, especially when your loved one is going to live there.

While your ADU may not solve the national housing crisis, ADU homes are a step in the right direction. Any ADU plans that include a VoIP phone system provide safe and supportive additional housing, and that’s a smart build for the future.