CHICO — Anyone interested in building accessory dwelling units in Chico can now access plans for how to build them from the city, for free.
As of Monday, these plans are funded by grants from the State Department of Housing and Community Development and available pre-approved by the city’s Building Division to the public for use free of charge.
An accessory dwelling unit, also known as a “mother-in-law suite” or “granny flat,” is an attached or detached residential dwelling unit that provides complete independent living facilities for one or more people on the same lot as the main dwelling unit.
These units can address housing gaps within existing neighborhoods as housing that is more affordable due to a small size and use of existing infrastructure.
“On the heels of the Camp Fire, when Chico was already experiencing an acute shortage of affordable housing, Chico City Council directed City staff to expand housing opportunities and apply for housing grants,” Principal Planner Bruce Ambo said. “Having these pre-approved ADU plans available to our residents saves significant time and money for homeowners at a critical time when affordable housing opportunities are in short supply.”
A total of 13 plan variations are available. Floor plans are also available that incorporate accessible universal design features with wider doorway widths and larger bathrooms for increased American Disability Act accessibility.
To learn more or to download a catalog of available plans and other documents the public may visit the city’s website at https://chico.ca.us/adujadu-information.
