SB 1211
Recent state reforms that make it faster, cheaper, and easier for homeowners to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), also known as “granny flats,” have led to a boom in their construction, with over 80,000 ADUs built in the last seven years.
SB 1211 will continue this trend and encourage more ADUs on multifamily properties by removing common barriers to their construction.
Current law allows up to two detached ADUs on properties with multi-family housing, as well as additional interior ADUs – as long as they are built within the existing building, such as in a basement or garage.
This restriction on the number of detached ADUs, combined with the requirement that additional homes may only be built within existing structures, means that many properties cannot legally accommodate more homes – even if they have room to build them.
SB 1211 increases the current restriction on the number of ADUs on a multifamily property that can be detached from 2 to up to 8, depending on the existing number of multifamily units on the site. SB 1211 also prohibits local governments from requiring replacement of surface parking spaces when existing parking is repurposed for ADUs.
Updates: SB 1211 passed out of the Senate Housing Committee on April 17, 2024 on a 5-2 vote. It now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Authors: Skinner (D, SD 9)
Co-Sponsors: California YIMBY, Casita Coalition
Resources: