ADU Pass
American Samoa
American Samoa's limited land area and growing population make accessory dwelling units a practical solution for expanding housing on existing residential lots. ADU Pass helps property owners in the territory navigate permit requirements so they can add living space for family members or rental income.
Map
State ADU details
State financing programs
American Samoa has no ADU-specific loan, grant, or subsidy program. The Development Bank of American Samoa (DBAS) administers general residential financing that can be used for new construction or renovation, including standalone structures on the same parcel as a primary dwelling, but nothing in the program shape targets accessory dwelling units specifically. The DBAS Residential Mortgage & Renovations program caps at $200,000 at 7% fixed for 30 years, 1-3 bedroom. DBAS also administers HUD-backed home loans ($43K for 1BR, $50K for 2BR, 2.5-5% fixed, up to 30 years) and the Section 1602 tax-credit exchange program for affordable housing developers.
State insurance regimes
The American Samoa Insurance Commissioner's Office, part of the American Samoa Government, is the territory's primary insurance regulator. American Samoa is a cyclone-exposed jurisdiction (notable storms: Cyclone Ofa 1990, Cyclone Val 1991, Cyclone Gita 2018; 2009 Samoa earthquake and tsunami) and the territory is eligible for FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) coverage. There is no territorial equivalent of a state FAIR Plan, wind pool, or insurer of last resort identified in public ASG materials — property insurance is written by the admitted carriers licensed by the Insurance Commissioner, and surplus-lines capacity fills gaps during hurricane-season underwriting cycles. ADUs specifically are not a separately named coverage category in any identified territorial regulation; they are covered under standard homeowners / dwelling-fire policies as 'other structures' or under a dwelling-fire endorsement when rented.
State housing programs
American Samoa has no public housing projects, no Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, and no HUD Multifamily Housing units — the territory inquired about becoming a Public Housing Authority but has not funded the program. Federal housing assistance reaches the territory primarily through the HUD-funded Community Development Block Grant — Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program administered by the American Samoa Government Department of Commerce, and through DBAS-administered HUD Home Loans (covered in stateFinancing). The Territorial-Insular Area set-aside under federal housing appropriations reserves $30 million across American Samoa, Guam, CNMI, and USVI, split by population share. None of these programs are ADU-specific.
Known state issues (3)
- other — Where a parcel is freehold, conventional ADU construction proceeds via PNRS land-use permit plus DBAS or private financing. Where a parcel is communal, a second dwelling is typically accommodated through family custom, with no recordable title, no mortgage, and no rental-market participation. The two worlds produce starkly different economics and the distinction is parcel-specific.
- policy-review — Predictability is low by mainland standards. A homeowner cannot check a zoning code and know in advance whether a specific ADU will be permitted. Consultation with the ASDOC UPD division is the practical first step.
- other — Tsunami-zone parcels near Pago Pago Harbor carry elevated construction and insurance costs. FEMA NFIP flood zoning applies. Any ADU cost model for the territory should include a cyclone/tsunami risk premium not present in comparable CONUS markets.
Federal (United States) — ADU-relevant rules and programs
Federal ADU law
The United States has no federal statute that directly regulates accessory dwelling unit entitlement or design. Land-use authority over ADUs resides with states and local governments under the traditional police power. Federal engagement is limited to financing (Fannie/Freddie/FHA/VA/USDA), flood insurance (FEMA/NFIP), and discretionary housing programs (HUD), which are recorded in sibling sections of this file.
Federal financing programs
Federal housing-finance agencies and GSEs set nationwide underwriting rules that govern whether an ADU can be financed, appraised, and counted toward mortgage qualifying income. The relevant actors are Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA (HUD), VA, and USDA Rural Development.
Federal tax credits
There is no ADU-specific federal tax credit. ADUs may incidentally qualify for existing federal energy-efficiency and clean-energy tax credits when the ADU construction includes qualifying measures.
Federal housing programs
HUD administers several discretionary programs that can fund ADU-related activity at the grantee's election, but none is an ADU-specific program.