California’s ADU Laws: Major Changes and How They Affect You The Good Men ProjectCalifornia’s ADU Laws: Major Changes and How They Affect You The Good Men ProjectCalifornia’s ADU Laws: Major Changes and How They Affect You The Good Men Project
Milpitas homeowners looking to build a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) can avail themselves on a new program designed to speed up the permitting process.
The Preapproved ADU Program offers standard construction plan sets designed by qualified professionals and pre-approved by the city. The city’s webpage at https://www.milpitas.gov/1247/Pre-Approved-ADU-Program details the project sites that do or do not qualify for the program and will eventually house a list of preapproved ADU plans for homeowners to peruse. Designers can submit applications for preapproval of ADU plans via the webpage.
A new social media outlet launched this month to keep Bay Area transit riders informed and engaged.
The Discord Project will be housing service alerts from most of the major Bay Area transit agencies, including Valley Transportation Authority, Caltrain, BART, SamTrans AC Transit, and the San Francisco Bay Ferry. All participating agencies will have representatives active on the platform to engage with their respective riders.
An events tab will list both in-person and virtual events from each agency so people can ask questions and coordinate with other transit agencies. Users can learn about and RSVP for events, and keep abreast of developments throughout the Bay Area’s transit systems. Additionally, the server allows transit users to interact with one another, share photos and discuss transit policy.
Later this year, plans are to introduce a feature that auto-populates press releases and blog posts from each participating agency.
Over 1,200 people signed up for the Discord Project in the first 48 hours after it launched on May 11. To join the platform, visit https://discord.com/invite/bayareatransit.
Easing the ADU process
Milpitas homeowners looking to build a detached accessory dwelling unit (ADU) can avail themselves on a new program designed to speed up the permitting process.
The Preapproved ADU Program offers standard construction plan sets designed by qualified professionals and pre-approved by the city. The city’s webpage at https://www.milpitas.gov/1247/Pre-Approved-ADU-Program details the project sites that do or do not qualify for the program and will eventually house a list of preapproved ADU plans for homeowners to peruse. Designers can submit applications for preapproval of ADU plans via the webpage.
Social transit hub
A new social media outlet launched this month to keep Bay Area transit riders informed and engaged.
The Discord Project will be housing service alerts from most of the major Bay Area transit agencies, including Valley Transportation Authority, Caltrain, BART, SamTrans AC Transit, and the San Francisco Bay Ferry. All participating agencies will have representatives active on the platform to engage with their respective riders.
An events tab will list both in-person and virtual events from each agency so people can ask questions and coordinate with other transit agencies. Users can learn about and RSVP for events, and keep abreast of developments throughout the Bay Area’s transit systems. Additionally, the server allows transit users to interact with one another, share photos and discuss transit policy.
Later this year, plans are to introduce a feature that auto-populates press releases and blog posts from each participating agency.
Over 1,200 people signed up for the Discord Project in the first 48 hours after it launched on May 11. To join the platform, visit https://discord.com/invite/bayareatransit.
Milpitas launches Preapproved ADU Program The Mercury News
Berkeley could become the state’s first city to allow homeowners to sell their backyard granny flats as condominiums, based on a new state law.
The City Council ordered staff to craft an ordinance authorizing the sales of accessory dwelling units or ADUs, based on Assembly Bill 1033, enacted this year, the San Francisco Business Times reported.
AB 1033, authored by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, allows cities to let residents sell ADUs as condos separate from their primary home.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for people to buy their first home that’s relatively affordable and get their piece of the California dream,” Ting said.
Berkeley looks to be the first city to opt in to AB 1033, Louis Mirante, vice president of public policy at the Bay Area Council, a business-backed advocacy group that sponsored the law, told the Business Times. It was also designated by the state last month as a “pro-housing city.”
San Jose may also implement the law. The City Council asked planning officials in December to bring them options for opting into AB 1033, with staff slated to present recommendations in June.
Berkeley Councilwoman Rashi Kesarwani, who led the city’s push to adopt AB1033, said she expects the ordinance legalizing ADU sales to come before the City Council “within a year.”
She sees teachers, nurses and other healthcare workers in the market to buy 500-square-foot homes in Berkeley, where the typical home ihs a value of nearly $1.5 million, according to Zillow.
Parents could also transfer an ADU-turned-condo to their adult children, allowing them to build equity.
“Housing costs have grown so high, so rapidly that the shortage of homes … it affects everyone, now, regardless of income,” Kesarwani told the Business Times.
Some 410 ADUs were built in Berkeley from 2019 to 2023, including 90 last year, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development. San Jose built 1,310 ADUs since 2019, including 330 last year.
Granny flat construction has exploded in California, with nearly one in five homes built being as an ADU, according to the state housing department, and new laws make it easier to build the units.
Though lawmakers have pushed ADUs as a partial solution to the state’s housing crisis, not everyone will be able to use AB 1033 even if their city implements it. Building an ADU can be expensive for lower- and middle-income homeowners.
The new law also requires a homeowner who’s part of an existing homeowners association to get permission from the HOA before converting the ADU into a condo.
AB 1033 also raised questions among real estate brokers, who asked if they would be treated as single-family homes, or with a tenant-in-common agreement, where two or more parties share ownership of a property, according to The Real Deal.
— Dana Bartholomew
Berkeley could become the state’s first city to allow homeowners to sell their backyard granny flats as condominiums, based on a new state law.
The City Council ordered staff to craft an ordinance authorizing the sales of accessory dwelling units or ADUs, based on Assembly Bill 1033, enacted this year, the San Francisco Business Times reported.
AB 1033, authored by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, allows cities to let residents sell ADUs as condos separate from their primary home.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for people to buy their first home that’s relatively affordable and get their piece of the California dream,” Ting said.
Berkeley looks to be the first city to opt in to AB 1033, Louis Mirante, vice president of public policy at the Bay Area Council, a business-backed advocacy group that sponsored the law, told the Business Times. It was also designated by the state last month as a “pro-housing city.”
San Jose may also implement the law. The City Council asked planning officials in December to bring them options for opting into AB 1033, with staff slated to present recommendations in June.
Berkeley Councilwoman Rashi Kesarwani, who led the city’s push to adopt AB1033, said she expects the ordinance legalizing ADU sales to come before the City Council “within a year.”
She sees teachers, nurses and other healthcare workers in the market to buy 500-square-foot homes in Berkeley, where the typical home ihs a value of nearly $1.5 million, according to Zillow.
Parents could also transfer an ADU-turned-condo to their adult children, allowing them to build equity.
“Housing costs have grown so high, so rapidly that the shortage of homes … it affects everyone, now, regardless of income,” Kesarwani told the Business Times.
Some 410 ADUs were built in Berkeley from 2019 to 2023, including 90 last year, according to the California Department of Housing and Community Development. San Jose built 1,310 ADUs since 2019, including 330 last year.
Granny flat construction has exploded in California, with nearly one in five homes built being as an ADU, according to the state housing department, and new laws make it easier to build the units.
Though lawmakers have pushed ADUs as a partial solution to the state’s housing crisis, not everyone will be able to use AB 1033 even if their city implements it. Building an ADU can be expensive for lower- and middle-income homeowners.
The new law also requires a homeowner who’s part of an existing homeowners association to get permission from the HOA before converting the ADU into a condo.
AB 1033 also raised questions among real estate brokers, who asked if they would be treated as single-family homes, or with a tenant-in-common agreement, where two or more parties share ownership of a property, according to The Real Deal.
— Dana Bartholomew
Berkeley Could Allow Homeowners to Sell ADUs as Condos The Real Deal
The City of Santa Barbara is pleased to announce it is now accepting submissions for designer-owned preapproved plans for detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). These plans will be considered for preapproval by the City, with the goals of speeding up the review and approval process, guiding homeowners who may not know where to start, and ensuring that those homeowners work with qualified, experienced professionals. For more information on how to apply, please read the “For Designers” section below.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: JULY 1, 2024
WHAT ARE PREAPPROVED PLANS?
Preapproved plans are ADU designs submitted by designers, architects, builders, and other qualified professionals and vetted in advance by Planning and Building & Safety. Once preapproved, they can be selected for use by homeowners for their own ADU projects with an expedited review timeline and lower permitting costs.
FOR DESIGNERS
Having your ADU plans preapproved by the City is a great way to help your future clients move through the permitting process quickly and smoothly. All preapproved ADU plans will be featured on the City’s website to help connect you with homeowners who are interested in adding an ADU to their property. You will still retain your copyright to the preapproved design, so any homeowner who wishes to use the design must contract with you to do so.
FOR HOMEOWNERS
Available in January 2025 – the City will launch the Preapproved ADU Program for homeowners to use. Homeowners can then reach out to the designer of the plan they select and work with them throughout the process. Browse the City’s list below – New plans coming soon!
How to Apply for a Building Permit
Preapproval does not mean that the designs already have their building permits, but rather that elements of the permitting process for your ADU will already be addressed upon application submittal. Pre-approved plans are around 70-80% complete but you will still be required to provide site-specific information. To use a preapproved ADU plan, you must:
New plans coming soon!
Learn more at https://santabarbaraca.gov/preapproved-adu
NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
The City of Santa Barbara is pleased to announce it is now accepting submissions for designer-owned preapproved plans for detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). These plans will be considered for preapproval by the City, with the goals of speeding up the review and approval process, guiding homeowners who may not know where to start, and ensuring that those homeowners work with qualified, experienced professionals. For more information on how to apply, please read the “For Designers” section below.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: JULY 1, 2024
WHAT ARE PREAPPROVED PLANS?
Preapproved plans are ADU designs submitted by designers, architects, builders, and other qualified professionals and vetted in advance by Planning and Building & Safety. Once preapproved, they can be selected for use by homeowners for their own ADU projects with an expedited review timeline and lower permitting costs.
FOR DESIGNERS
Having your ADU plans preapproved by the City is a great way to help your future clients move through the permitting process quickly and smoothly. All preapproved ADU plans will be featured on the City’s website to help connect you with homeowners who are interested in adding an ADU to their property. You will still retain your copyright to the preapproved design, so any homeowner who wishes to use the design must contract with you to do so.
FOR HOMEOWNERS
Available in January 2025 – the City will launch the Preapproved ADU Program for homeowners to use. Homeowners can then reach out to the designer of the plan they select and work with them throughout the process. Browse the City’s list below – New plans coming soon!
How to Apply for a Building Permit
Preapproval does not mean that the designs already have their building permits, but rather that elements of the permitting process for your ADU will already be addressed upon application submittal. Pre-approved plans are around 70-80% complete but you will still be required to provide site-specific information. To use a preapproved ADU plan, you must:
Contract with the designer responsible for the plan set.
Submit additional site-specific plans, studies, and engineering, as applicable.
Obtain a building permit from the Building & Safety Division for the construction of a preapproved ADU. The full list of submittal requirements for a building permit are included below.
New plans coming soon!
Learn more at https://santabarbaraca.gov/preapproved-adu
Preapproved ADU Program for City of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara Edhat
In an effort to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis, the Federal Housing Administration announced a new policy Monday that will make it easier to buy or refinance a house with an accessory dwelling unit, or build a new ADU.
Previous rules for FHA-backed loans would allow lenders to consider rental income from duplexes but not ADUs. Under the new policy, lenders will be allowed to count income from small housing units built inside, attached to or on the same property as a primary residence when underwriting a mortgage.
It will specifically allow for 75% of the estimated ADU rental income for some borrowers to qualify for an FHA-insured mortgage on a property with an existing ADU. It will also allow the use of 50% of the estimated rental income from a new ADU the borrower plans to attach to an existing structure such as in a garage or basement conversion to qualify for a mortgage under FHA’s renovation loans, also known as 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance program.
Read more: You Do ADU, Part 1: Thousands of Californians are building ADUs. Should you?
What’s also new with this policy is that lenders will be able to consider projected income whether it’s a buyer who is interested in purchasing a home with an unoccupied ADU or a homeowner who wants to construct an ADU, said FHA Commissioner Julia R. Gordon.
"I think that is in some ways the most interesting aspect of our program because of course, one of the reasons we’re making this policy change is to help more borrowers qualify for homeownership and counting rental income is one way to do that," Gordon said.
The other big goal of the new policy is to help increase housing supply by bringing new units onto the market and that is "why we thought it was so important to try to count a portion of that projected income even though it’s something that isn’t tangible yet," she said.
In addition, this new policy is intended to create more wealth-building potential for first-time home buyers, seniors, and intergenerationally through homeownership.
The FHA doesn’t lend money directly to prospective or current homeowners, rather it provides guarantees for loans issued by banks, which encourages lenders to make loans to households or communities that might otherwise not be reached. The guarantees are available only for loans that stay within the claim limits set by the FHA.
There are no other eligibility requirements having to do with who the buyer is, Gordon said.
If a prospective home buyer wants to learn more about the policy or whether they are eligible, Gordon encourages first-time home buyers to talk with a Housing and Urban Development certified housing counselor.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
In an effort to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis, the Federal Housing Administration announced a new policy Monday that will make it easier to buy or refinance a house with an accessory dwelling unit, or build a new ADU.
Previous rules for FHA-backed loans would allow lenders to consider rental income from duplexes but not ADUs. Under the new policy, lenders will be allowed to count income from small housing units built inside, attached to or on the same property as a primary residence when underwriting a mortgage.
It will specifically allow for 75% of the estimated ADU rental income for some borrowers to qualify for an FHA-insured mortgage on a property with an existing ADU. It will also allow the use of 50% of the estimated rental income from a new ADU the borrower plans to attach to an existing structure such as in a garage or basement conversion to qualify for a mortgage under FHA’s renovation loans, also known as 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance program.
Read more: You Do ADU, Part 1: Thousands of Californians are building ADUs. Should you?
What’s also new with this policy is that lenders will be able to consider projected income whether it’s a buyer who is interested in purchasing a home with an unoccupied ADU or a homeowner who wants to construct an ADU, said FHA Commissioner Julia R. Gordon.
"I think that is in some ways the most interesting aspect of our program because of course, one of the reasons we’re making this policy change is to help more borrowers qualify for homeownership and counting rental income is one way to do that," Gordon said.
The other big goal of the new policy is to help increase housing supply by bringing new units onto the market and that is "why we thought it was so important to try to count a portion of that projected income even though it’s something that isn’t tangible yet," she said.
In addition, this new policy is intended to create more wealth-building potential for first-time home buyers, seniors, and intergenerationally through homeownership.
The FHA doesn’t lend money directly to prospective or current homeowners, rather it provides guarantees for loans issued by banks, which encourages lenders to make loans to households or communities that might otherwise not be reached. The guarantees are available only for loans that stay within the claim limits set by the FHA.
There are no other eligibility requirements having to do with who the buyer is, Gordon said.
If a prospective home buyer wants to learn more about the policy or whether they are eligible, Gordon encourages first-time home buyers to talk with a Housing and Urban Development certified housing counselor.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A new federal policy allows you to finance for an ADU. What you need to know Yahoo Movies UK
Shed with terrace and wooden garden furniture during spring
Pasadena residents planning to embark on Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) construction projects should now have a clearer path forward with the city’s newly launched Accessory Dwelling Unit Standard Plans Program.
By offering pre-approved plans and streamlined approval procedures, the city aims to demystify the ADU process and to empower homeowners to enhance their properties while contributing to the city’s housing diversity.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Planning and Community Development, presents a gallery of pre-approved ADU plans ranging from studios to two-bedroom units. These plans, designed by both the City and licensed professionals, promise time-saving benefits in design and permitting.
The program’s launch includes two city-designed plans offered at no cost, with more designs by licensed professionals slated for addition in the coming months.
“All plans featured as part of this program have been pre-approved by the Building and Safety Division resulting in time-savings in both the design and permitting of an ADU,” the Planning Department said. “Note that any modification to pre-approved ADU plans would result in the need for plan check and the plans would no longer be considered pre-approved.”
An ADU provides complete independent living facilities and is situated on the same parcel as the primary residence. The city categorizes ADUs into single-family, multi-family, junior ADUs, and ADUs in historic districts or in individually designated historic properties, each with specific permitting criteria.
As published on the ADU webpage, the available pre-approved ADU plans cater to various needs, including Prototype A, a 374 sq. ft. studio unit, and Prototype D, a 682 sq. ft. two-bedroom, one-bath unit. Estimated plan check and permit fees range from $7,000 to $13,000, excluding additional permits like fire sprinkler or grading permits.
The submission process for pre-approved plans involves contacting the Permit Center, preparing a site plan, completing agreements and applications, and undergoing plan review.
Applicants can request a virtual meeting to obtain preliminary feedback from city staff on building code and zoning code requirements for your proposed ADU. The virtual meeting service is offered to anyone interested in building an ADU in Pasadena before plans are submitted for plan check review.
To view the ADU plans that are now available, visit the Planning Department’s ADU webpage, www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/planning-division/community-planning/accessory-dwelling-units/ or www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/planning-division/community-planning/accessory-dwelling-units/adu-standard-plans-program/#step1.
For more information, visit www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/.
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Shed with terrace and wooden garden furniture during spring
Pasadena residents planning to embark on Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) construction projects should now have a clearer path forward with the city’s newly launched Accessory Dwelling Unit Standard Plans Program.
By offering pre-approved plans and streamlined approval procedures, the city aims to demystify the ADU process and to empower homeowners to enhance their properties while contributing to the city’s housing diversity.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Department of Planning and Community Development, presents a gallery of pre-approved ADU plans ranging from studios to two-bedroom units. These plans, designed by both the City and licensed professionals, promise time-saving benefits in design and permitting.
The program’s launch includes two city-designed plans offered at no cost, with more designs by licensed professionals slated for addition in the coming months.
“All plans featured as part of this program have been pre-approved by the Building and Safety Division resulting in time-savings in both the design and permitting of an ADU,” the Planning Department said. “Note that any modification to pre-approved ADU plans would result in the need for plan check and the plans would no longer be considered pre-approved.”
An ADU provides complete independent living facilities and is situated on the same parcel as the primary residence. The city categorizes ADUs into single-family, multi-family, junior ADUs, and ADUs in historic districts or in individually designated historic properties, each with specific permitting criteria.
As published on the ADU webpage, the available pre-approved ADU plans cater to various needs, including Prototype A, a 374 sq. ft. studio unit, and Prototype D, a 682 sq. ft. two-bedroom, one-bath unit. Estimated plan check and permit fees range from $7,000 to $13,000, excluding additional permits like fire sprinkler or grading permits.
The submission process for pre-approved plans involves contacting the Permit Center, preparing a site plan, completing agreements and applications, and undergoing plan review.
Applicants can request a virtual meeting to obtain preliminary feedback from city staff on building code and zoning code requirements for your proposed ADU. The virtual meeting service is offered to anyone interested in building an ADU in Pasadena before plans are submitted for plan check review.
To view the ADU plans that are now available, visit the Planning Department’s ADU webpage, www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/planning-division/community-planning/accessory-dwelling-units/ or www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/planning-division/community-planning/accessory-dwelling-units/adu-standard-plans-program/#step1.
For more information, visit www.cityofpasadena.net/planning/.
Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.
Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.
Pasadena Unveils Standard Plans Program to Simplify ADU Construction, Offers Pre-Approved Plans and Streamlined … Pasadena Now
Pasadena residents interested in building accessory dwelling units (ADUs) can now book virtual consultations with city staff starting on Thursday, March 2.
The city’s Planning and Community Development department announced Tuesday that it will offer online appointments every Thursday afternoon to provide general information on building and zoning code requirements for ADUs.
ADUs are small, independent residential units that can be attached or detached from a primary residence. They are seen as a way to increase housing supply and affordability in California.
Jennifer Paige, the acting director of Planning and Community Development, said the virtual consultations are part of the city’s efforts to accelerate ADU production and offer services based on community requests.
The appointments will last for 30 minutes and will include staff from both Building and Zoning. Interested individuals can visit cityofpasadena.net/planning/adu for more information or to book a consultation.
Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.
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Shed with terrace and wooden garden furniture during springPasadena residents interested in building accessory dwelling units (ADUs) can now book virtual consultations with city staff starting on Thursday, March 2.
The city’s Planning and Community Development department announced Tuesday that it will offer online appointments every Thursday afternoon to provide general information on building and zoning code requirements for ADUs.
ADUs are small, independent residential units that can be attached or detached from a primary residence. They are seen as a way to increase housing supply and affordability in California.
Jennifer Paige, the acting director of Planning and Community Development, said the virtual consultations are part of the city’s efforts to accelerate ADU production and offer services based on community requests.
The appointments will last for 30 minutes and will include staff from both Building and Zoning. Interested individuals can visit cityofpasadena.net/planning/adu for more information or to book a consultation.
Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.
Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.
City Will Offer Free Virtual Consultations for ADU Construction in … Pasadena Now
If you’d like to build an ADU in Garden City, you’ve got some new ground rules to follow.
Garden City City Council is in the final stages of approving a new set of rules governing accessory dwelling units, or mother-in-law suites. The small, secondary homes have become more popular as the Treasure Valley grows and homeowners are looking for options to house family members close by or make extra rental income. These new rules expand the size of ADUs allowed in Garden City, allowing larger units than its big municipal brother Boise.
The new ordinance allows for a maximum size of 800 square feet for an ADU or half of the size of the main house, whichever is greater. This is larger than the 700 square foot maximum allowed in Boise, but smaller than the maximum allowed in Portland and California.
Garden City ADUs must be located behind the main home, on a foundation and there can only be one on each property. All ADUs also have to include a minimum of 300 square feet to ensure there’s enough space for a kitchen, a bathroom and shower. This ordinance also does not trump any governing documents for homes located in an HOA banning ADUs.
This change is part of several revamps to city code Garden City is undertaking, with its new parking code set to be decided in the coming weeks being the most contentious. The small city has seen rapid growth and is rapidly turning over from a community with large swaths covered in mobile home parks to a Mecca for upscale, infill housing along the Boise River.
The ADU code proposal does not lay out parking requirements because this issue will be covered in the new parking rules adopted by the city council later. Garden City has to revamp its parking code after a successful lawsuit from developer Jason Jones led to an opinion from a judge calling the city’s regulations parking inadequate.
ADUs might be a housing option for GC residents as the city continues to grow denser, but it probably won’t solve the area’s demand for affordable housing.
Mayor John Evans said the goal for the ordinance was to open up more diversity of housing types in the city and give property owners with larger lots options to house family members or make rental income. But, he acknowledged that in a landlocked, highly developed community like Garden City there are not many lots with enough room for an ADU that aren’t in an HOA.
“It’s not a comprehensive strategy,” he said. “There just isn’t enough locations they could be placed to make a significant dent in the affordable housing discussion.”
City Council President James Page agreed. He said the idea behind the ordinance was to provide options for people to increase flexibility for housing on their properties. But because of the small spaces in ADUs, the difficulties with storage and how the more affordable materials sometimes used to build them can lead to deterioration, Page doesn’t think they should be the city’s move on affordable housing.
“To me, an ADU seems like a temporary part of the puzzle,” he said. “I think these solutions are well-meaning and they help people in crisis, but I don’t think they’re a long-term solution to affordability.”
At the same time, Garden City has been studying a proposal to allow tiny homes on wheels in Garden City from 2021 mayoral candidate Hannah Ball and Jones, the developer who sued the city over parking rules, for over a year. Tiny homes on wheels function differently than ADUs and can be moved by their owner somewhat akin to a mobile home, but aren’t as large and are cheaper to transport.
The proposal has come before the council for deliberation and drafting several times, but a deal to pass it hasn’t been reached. Evans said the discussions with Ball and Jones have been “interesting,” but the ordinance isn’t high on his list of priorities right now as the city prepares for a series of contentious hearings on a proposal for dense housing at the River Club.
If you’d like to build an ADU in Garden City, you’ve got some new ground rules to follow.
Garden City City Council is in the final stages of approving a new set of rules governing accessory dwelling units, or mother-in-law suites. The small, secondary homes have become more popular as the Treasure Valley grows and homeowners are looking for options to house family members close by or make extra rental income. These new rules expand the size of ADUs allowed in Garden City, allowing larger units than its big municipal brother Boise.
The new ordinance allows for a maximum size of 800 square feet for an ADU or half of the size of the main house, whichever is greater. This is larger than the 700 square foot maximum allowed in Boise, but smaller than the maximum allowed in Portland and California.
Garden City ADUs must be located behind the main home, on a foundation and there can only be one on each property. All ADUs also have to include a minimum of 300 square feet to ensure there’s enough space for a kitchen, a bathroom and shower. This ordinance also does not trump any governing documents for homes located in an HOA banning ADUs.
This change is part of several revamps to city code Garden City is undertaking, with its new parking code set to be decided in the coming weeks being the most contentious. The small city has seen rapid growth and is rapidly turning over from a community with large swaths covered in mobile home parks to a Mecca for upscale, infill housing along the Boise River.
The ADU code proposal does not lay out parking requirements because this issue will be covered in the new parking rules adopted by the city council later. Garden City has to revamp its parking code after a successful lawsuit from developer Jason Jones led to an opinion from a judge calling the city’s regulations parking inadequate.
‘Not a comprehensive strategy’
ADUs might be a housing option for GC residents as the city continues to grow denser, but it probably won’t solve the area’s demand for affordable housing.
Mayor John Evans said the goal for the ordinance was to open up more diversity of housing types in the city and give property owners with larger lots options to house family members or make rental income. But, he acknowledged that in a landlocked, highly developed community like Garden City there are not many lots with enough room for an ADU that aren’t in an HOA.
“It’s not a comprehensive strategy,” he said. “There just isn’t enough locations they could be placed to make a significant dent in the affordable housing discussion.”
City Council President James Page agreed. He said the idea behind the ordinance was to provide options for people to increase flexibility for housing on their properties. But because of the small spaces in ADUs, the difficulties with storage and how the more affordable materials sometimes used to build them can lead to deterioration, Page doesn’t think they should be the city’s move on affordable housing.
“To me, an ADU seems like a temporary part of the puzzle,” he said. “I think these solutions are well-meaning and they help people in crisis, but I don’t think they’re a long-term solution to affordability.”
What about tiny homes on wheels?
At the same time, Garden City has been studying a proposal to allow tiny homes on wheels in Garden City from 2021 mayoral candidate Hannah Ball and Jones, the developer who sued the city over parking rules, for over a year. Tiny homes on wheels function differently than ADUs and can be moved by their owner somewhat akin to a mobile home, but aren’t as large and are cheaper to transport.
The proposal has come before the council for deliberation and drafting several times, but a deal to pass it hasn’t been reached. Evans said the discussions with Ball and Jones have been “interesting,” but the ordinance isn’t high on his list of priorities right now as the city prepares for a series of contentious hearings on a proposal for dense housing at the River Club.
Garden City expands ADU size, but tiny home on wheels talks still … boisedev.com
The Anne Arundel County Council refined a new bill Tuesday to relax existing laws around creating accessory dwelling units.
The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Council members Lisa Rodvien, of Annapolis, Allison Pickard, of Glen Burnie, and Julie Hummer, of Laurel, would make it easier for homeowners to create spaces, commonly referred to as secondary suites, accessory apartments and “granny” flats, on the property of a single-family home where another person could live independently. The bill proposes changes including allowing detached dwellings on the property, altering square-footage requirements of the ADU and repealing limits on the size of properties on which an ADU can be built.
Rodvien, Hummer and Council Chair Pete Smith, a Democrat from Severn, defeated an amendment to the bill proposed by Pasadena Republican Nathan Volke that would require each accessory dwelling unit have a corresponding parking space on the lot. While Volke’s Republican colleagues, Shannon Leadbetter from Crofton and Amanda Fiedler from Arnold, voted in favor of the amendment, it failed to pass in a three-to-three vote. Pickard was absent from the meeting.
“We’re going to have a lot of parking problems. That’s the concern that I have with this,” Volke said. “I hear a lot about parking complaints under the existing code, let alone what would loosen for ADUs.”
Leadbetter, who added herself as an amendment co-sponsor, agreed that allowing for more density without new parking requirements could cause parking problems and invite safety issues. She noted the density of cars could potentially lead to obstacles for emergency vehicles getting to residents in need.
“In our district, we have numerous areas where street parking is already a problem that I hear,” Leadbetter said. “It’s a top concern for a lot of folks.”
The bill would eliminate limits on the size of properties — currently 14,000 square feet or more — that could house an ADU. It would implement a limit on the size of detached ADUs to the lesser of 800 square feet or 50% of the single-family home’s floor area.
It’s important to remember that many of the folks who would most likely rent out these lower-cost units — young professionals who depend on public transit, live-in caretakers and elderly people who wish to remain living with their families — can’t afford cars, Rodvien noted.
“The whole goal here is affordable housing and if we put obstacles in the path of affordable housing, we’re not going to get the affordable housing that we need,” Rodvien said. “I also am really, really struggling with the idea of prioritizing space for cars over space for people.”
She added that developing an accessory dwelling unit is a big undertaking and it’s unlikely there will be one on every block. It would be an achievement to have one per neighborhood, Rodvien said. Annapolis, a city of around 40,000 people, passed a law that legalized renting out accessory dwelling units in October 2021. The city ordinance did not include a parking requirement.
No rentable accessory dwelling units are currently approved in Annapolis, said city spokesperson Mitchelle Stephenson, though two homeowners have submitted applications. According to Annapolis Alderman Brooks Schandelmeier, a Ward 5 Democrat who co-sponsored the city bill, part of the reason for the low number is the cost of building them, which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars.
The council passed a second amendment to eliminate a requirement that the main single-family home or the accessory dwelling unit would need to be occupied by the owner. The amendment would also require the full property to be rented as a whole for short-term rentals.
Rodvien and Smith co-sponsored the amendment to remove another potential impediment to residents wishing to rent out these units or their primary homes on the lot.
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If the bill passes, Schandelmeier said the owner occupancy amendment will make it an improvement on the city’s accessory dwelling unit law. He hopes this will encourage the city to make improvements to its version of the law.
Ahead of the council’s final vote on the bill, which will take place at its next meeting March 6 at the earliest barring any more amendments, 19 people wrote online testimonials in defense of the bill. Additionally, a variety of speakers representing groups including the League of Women Voters, Anne Arundel County Association of Realtors, AARP and the Institute for Justice spoke to the benefits of accessory dwelling units.
“I bought a house with an ADU attached unit in the city of Annapolis and it really enabled me, a modestly paid state employee, to live in the nice house,” said Trudy McFall, chair of the Anne Arundel County Affordable Housing Coalition. “I have rented that unit to teachers, people of relatively modest incomes who could never have rented a house where I live.”
Annapolis resident Greg Cantori thanked the county for creating more actionable legislation than the state. A bill going through the legislature would create an Accessory Dwelling Unit Promotion and Policy Task Force to study and review the concept. It’s been co-sponsored by Prince George’s and Anne Arundel County Del. Mary Lehman.
“What we found across the country is that when ADU ordinances are permitted, we don’t see a great uptick in the number of units,” Cantori said. “I want you to go from just permitting them to promoting them. Promoting them means that you actually are going to be asking the homeowners to take an active role in our housing issue and it means things like low-interest loans, grants for people with lower incomes — lower-income homeowners as well as lower-income renters.”
The bill will have another public hearing March 6 at the 7 p.m. council meeting.
The Anne Arundel County Council refined a new bill Tuesday to relax existing laws around creating accessory dwelling units.
The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Council members Lisa Rodvien, of Annapolis, Allison Pickard, of Glen Burnie, and Julie Hummer, of Laurel, would make it easier for homeowners to create spaces, commonly referred to as secondary suites, accessory apartments and “granny” flats, on the property of a single-family home where another person could live independently. The bill proposes changes including allowing detached dwellings on the property, altering square-footage requirements of the ADU and repealing limits on the size of properties on which an ADU can be built.
Rodvien, Hummer and Council Chair Pete Smith, a Democrat from Severn, defeated an amendment to the bill proposed by Pasadena Republican Nathan Volke that would require each accessory dwelling unit have a corresponding parking space on the lot. While Volke’s Republican colleagues, Shannon Leadbetter from Crofton and Amanda Fiedler from Arnold, voted in favor of the amendment, it failed to pass in a three-to-three vote. Pickard was absent from the meeting.
“We’re going to have a lot of parking problems. That’s the concern that I have with this,” Volke said. “I hear a lot about parking complaints under the existing code, let alone what would loosen for ADUs.”
Leadbetter, who added herself as an amendment co-sponsor, agreed that allowing for more density without new parking requirements could cause parking problems and invite safety issues. She noted the density of cars could potentially lead to obstacles for emergency vehicles getting to residents in need.
“In our district, we have numerous areas where street parking is already a problem that I hear,” Leadbetter said. “It’s a top concern for a lot of folks.”
The bill would eliminate limits on the size of properties — currently 14,000 square feet or more — that could house an ADU. It would implement a limit on the size of detached ADUs to the lesser of 800 square feet or 50% of the single-family home’s floor area.
It’s important to remember that many of the folks who would most likely rent out these lower-cost units — young professionals who depend on public transit, live-in caretakers and elderly people who wish to remain living with their families — can’t afford cars, Rodvien noted.
“The whole goal here is affordable housing and if we put obstacles in the path of affordable housing, we’re not going to get the affordable housing that we need,” Rodvien said. “I also am really, really struggling with the idea of prioritizing space for cars over space for people.”
She added that developing an accessory dwelling unit is a big undertaking and it’s unlikely there will be one on every block. It would be an achievement to have one per neighborhood, Rodvien said. Annapolis, a city of around 40,000 people, passed a law that legalized renting out accessory dwelling units in October 2021. The city ordinance did not include a parking requirement.
No rentable accessory dwelling units are currently approved in Annapolis, said city spokesperson Mitchelle Stephenson, though two homeowners have submitted applications. According to Annapolis Alderman Brooks Schandelmeier, a Ward 5 Democrat who co-sponsored the city bill, part of the reason for the low number is the cost of building them, which can run into the tens of thousands of dollars.
The council passed a second amendment to eliminate a requirement that the main single-family home or the accessory dwelling unit would need to be occupied by the owner. The amendment would also require the full property to be rented as a whole for short-term rentals.
Rodvien and Smith co-sponsored the amendment to remove another potential impediment to residents wishing to rent out these units or their primary homes on the lot.
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If the bill passes, Schandelmeier said the owner occupancy amendment will make it an improvement on the city’s accessory dwelling unit law. He hopes this will encourage the city to make improvements to its version of the law.
Ahead of the council’s final vote on the bill, which will take place at its next meeting March 6 at the earliest barring any more amendments, 19 people wrote online testimonials in defense of the bill. Additionally, a variety of speakers representing groups including the League of Women Voters, Anne Arundel County Association of Realtors, AARP and the Institute for Justice spoke to the benefits of accessory dwelling units.
“I bought a house with an ADU attached unit in the city of Annapolis and it really enabled me, a modestly paid state employee, to live in the nice house,” said Trudy McFall, chair of the Anne Arundel County Affordable Housing Coalition. “I have rented that unit to teachers, people of relatively modest incomes who could never have rented a house where I live.”
Annapolis resident Greg Cantori thanked the county for creating more actionable legislation than the state. A bill going through the legislature would create an Accessory Dwelling Unit Promotion and Policy Task Force to study and review the concept. It’s been co-sponsored by Prince George’s and Anne Arundel County Del. Mary Lehman.
“What we found across the country is that when ADU ordinances are permitted, we don’t see a great uptick in the number of units,” Cantori said. “I want you to go from just permitting them to promoting them. Promoting them means that you actually are going to be asking the homeowners to take an active role in our housing issue and it means things like low-interest loans, grants for people with lower incomes — lower-income homeowners as well as lower-income renters.”
The bill will have another public hearing March 6 at the 7 p.m. council meeting.
Anne Arundel County Council debates best policies for accessory … Capital Gazette
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