ADUs as – CBS Sunday Morning’s May 17 edition looks at how accessory dwelling units are being used as a practical, sometimes complicated answer to housing shortages after wildfires in the West—along with features spanning design, architecture, food, and culture.
At 9:00 a.m. ET, CBS will bring “Sunday Morning” to viewers with its annual theme of design, hosted by Jane Pauley—starting with Philadelphia, a city the show frames as a symbol of more than 250 years of aspiration and style.
But the week’s focus on “By Design” turns sharply toward something more urgent for people in the West: housing that’s been upended by wildfires.. In a segment set to air May 17. correspondent Lee Cowan takes viewers into a pressing question—whether part of the solution to the housing crunch can be built on the same lots where families already live.
Accessory Dwelling Units. or ADUs. are small. fully functional homes placed on the same property as a main house—often in the backyard—described as carriage houses or “granny flats.” As wildfires have displaced residents. ADUs have been used to meet demand in places where housing is scarce or expensive.
Cowan’s report homes in on the practical and legal hurdles that come with making those units available, examining what it takes to translate the idea of building “right in your own backyard” into something residents can actually use.
The show also pairs that housing segment with a broader design sweep.. Pauley visits Ardrossan, a 750-acre Georgian-style estate on Philadelphia’s storied Main Line.. The program also explores “An adobe renaissance. ” following the history of building with earth—mudbricks included—and how adobe materials are being combined with newer techniques such as 3-D printing.
A separate feature looks at Philadelphia through the lens of architecture. highlighting Frank Furness. a former Army captain during the Civil War whose designs—about 1. 000 buildings—were marked by oversized arches. asymmetrical facades. and eccentric decoration that broke from the “polite Victorian era” style.. The segment notes that Furness’s reputation has been reassessed. with national correspondent Robert Costa touring the city alongside Wall Street Journal architectural critic Michael Lewis.
Food and culture remain firmly on the itinerary, from the “sacred Philadelphia cheesesteak” explained by third-generation Pat’s King of Steaks owner Frankie Olivieri to Triptych #2 featuring Center City Soft Pretzel Company making tens of thousands of pretzels a week.
Elsewhere, “Sunday Morning” keeps a hand in fashion and craftsmanship, including correspondent Seth Doane’s look at Marimekko’s bold, graphic Finnish designs, and Mo Rocca’s segment on the traditions of chandeliers.
For viewers looking beyond the studio and into entertainment, the program also features director Jon Favreau discussing “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” including how “Star Wars” stories have centered on families coming together. The show notes that the film is scheduled for release in theaters May 22.
On the music side, the Library of Congress revealed a 2026 National Recording Registry list of 25 recordings to be preserved for future generations, including Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Ray Charles.
The broadcast will air Sundays on CBS at 9:00 a.m. ET, with the episode also streaming on the CBS News app beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET.
CBS Sunday Morning Jane Pauley ADUs accessory dwelling units wildfire housing Philadelphia design architecture adobe Marimekko chandeliers cheesesteak pretzels National Recording Registry Taylor Swift Beyoncé