Making Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) Easier to Build

Although recent legislation has significantly streamlined the ADU permitting process, in some cases, ambiguities in state law slowed or otherwise hindered the construction of ADUs. AB 881 updates and clarifies the state’s ADU rules to make them easier to build. Specifically, this bill:

  • Eliminates the ability of local governments to impose owner-occupancy requirements on ADUs, increasing the pool of rental properties
  • Clarifies that garages can be converted into ADUs
  • Limits additional criteria that can be used to exclude ADUs
  • Existing single-family properties in California have the potential for roughly 1.8 million new ADUs. Roughly 85 percent of these are single-family homes where building an ADU pencils out according to current construction costs and rents; the remainder are sites ideal for both an ADU and JADU.

Updates

Sept 13, 2019 Passed Assembly Floor 73-0
Sept 13, 2019 Passed Senate Floor 30-6
Oct 9, 2019 Signed Into Law by Gov. Newsom

Author

  • Bloom (D, AD 50)

Sponsor

  • California YIMBY

Resources

AB 881 Fact Sheet

A closer look at the bill’s details.

Download ↓

AB 881 In the News

As AB 881 was a relatively technical bill, it did not receive much press coverage. Here are some articles covering the package of ADU bills passed in the 2019 legislative session:

Forbes · March 12, 2020
California’s New Accessory Dwelling Units Laws: What You Should Know →

VC Star · September 17, 2019
California housing legislation seeks to make it easier to build accessory dwelling units →

Globe St · June 4, 2020
California’s Laws Tackle the Housing Crisis →

Supporters

  • California Apartment Association
  • California Association of Realtors
  • Bay Area Council
  • CA Building Industry Association
  • California Forward Action Fund
  • United Dwelling
  • TechEquity Collaborative
  • Hamilton Families
  • Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern
  • California
  • TMG Partners
  • San Francisco Housing Action Coalition