LA’s Hottest ADUs

California is a challenging place to build due to the state’s strict construction regulations. Subsequently housing and affordability remain tight in the region’s building landscape. However, a slate of new laws recently passed allow Californians to build additional living units on existing single-or multi-family properties. These living units, referred to as Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs, are becoming more popular as they benefit property owners while simultaneously adding to the state’s housing stock. The recent ADU “funding law” is referred to as The California Health and Safety Code (HSC), Section 65583(c)(7). This law requires that cities and counties develop a plan that incentivizes and promotes the creation of ADUs that can be offered at affordable rent for very-low to moderate-income households. Some of the 6 options include State grants and financial incentives including the CALHome Program.

An (ADU) is an attached or detached residential dwelling unit up to 1200 Sqft that provides complete independent living facilities for one or more persons, and is located on a lot with a proposed or existing primary residence. It shall include permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation on the same lot as the single family or multifamily dwelling is or will be situated. Accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is a regulatory term for a secondary house or apartment that shares the building lot of a larger, primary home. The (ADU) unit cannot be bought or sold separately, and must meet other requirements as stipulated by applicable life and safety code requirements from the Department of Public Works, Building and Safety Division and Fire Departments.

ADUs do not require any ‘discretionary’ approval, meaning that you don’t need approvals from the city planning department, neighbors, planning boards, as long as you meet the established guidelines. So, getting the right to build an accessory dwelling unit is just a matter of submitting plans to the building department and going through the plan check process to obtain a building permit.

It must be in the backyard area and not in front of the existing home. A new detached accessory unit is limited to 1200sqft, while an addition attached to an existing home is limited to the lesser of either 1200sqft or 50% of the size of the existing home. A 400-600sf ADU is ideal for a one-bedroom floor plan and a 600-1200sqft structure is enough to be one or two stories, with up to three bedrooms and multiple baths! An existing garage that is in front of the home may also be converted to an ADU. Or an existing attached garage can be converted to a Junior ADU. A (JADU) Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit is a unit that is no more than 500 square feet in size and contained entirely within a single-family residence. A JADU may include separate sanitation facilities, or may share sanitation facilities with the existing structure. The JADU or single-family residence shall be owner occupied. (GreatBuildz)

The city of Los Angeles has allowed ADUs on most residentially zoned lots regardless of their size as long as the structure meets the basic restrictions and there is an existing home already on the property. With regard to parking, an ADU is exempt from any parking requirements as long as the property is within one-half mile of a public transit.

ADU’s are also allowed on multifamily properties such as duplex, triplex, four-plex, and apartment buildings. These properties generally have different guidelines for the construction of ADUs, but they also have the potential to build several ADU’s on a single property. A great way to retire early or generate cash flow for your financial portfolio is downsize yourself, and rent out your existing home. If converting an existing detached garage into an JADU, two spots need to be maintained for the existing residence but can be uncovered spots on a driveway, which can be side-by-side or even tandem. A new accessory dwelling unit must be at least 10’ away from the existing house and garage or it must be attached to either. Also, a new unit must be at least 4’ from both the rear and side property lines. A garage conversion into a living space, however, does not need to meet these setback requirements.

An accessory dwelling unit will vary greatly in cost based on the options and size you choose. As discussed, the most cost-effective option is to convert an existing detached garage. Since the major components already exist, the construction entails items such as constructing the fourth wall (where the garage door is currently), adding the interior components such as interior walls, a kitchen, bathroom, flooring, adding windows and doors, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation, and a new sewer line that will probably connect to the sewer lateral at the front of the main home.

The cost for an ADU garage conversion can usually range from $80,000-$120,000 depending on the homeowner’s requirements. Costs to construct a new accessory dwelling unit can also vary considerably based on size, the number of stories, location, access, but will generally range from $100,000-$400,000. A safe rule of thumb is to assume $250-$400 per sqft, with the bigger the space, the lower cost per sqft. If you’re considering building up for a 2-story ADU, costs will go up considerably as well, and so can your rental income with a rooftop deck!

A (MTH) Moveable Tiny House is an enclosed space intended for separate, independent living quarters of one family and meets all of the following:

• Is licensed and registered with the California Department of Motor Vehicles;
• Meets the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 119.5 requirements or the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1192 standards, and is certified for ANSI or NFPA compliance. A 3rd  party inspection agency (Design Approval Agency/Quality Assurance Agency) shall certify the MTH meets this requirement (List of approved 3rd party Design Approval Agencies (DAA) and Quality Assurance Agencies (QAA));
• Cannot move under its own power;
• Is no larger than allowed by California State Law for movement on public highways; and
• Is no smaller than 150sqft or larger than 430 sqft as measured within the exterior faces of the exterior walls.

ADUs, JADUs, and MTHs are allowed in any zone that allows for residential use by right. Parking for a newly constructed ADU is not required when it is located within one-half mile walking distance of a public transit. Replacement parking is not required when covered parking is removed in conjunction with the construction of the ADU. ADUs are required to comply with all applicable zoning, building, and residential codes. Fire sprinklers are not required if they are not required for the primary residence. Solar panels will be required for newly constructed, detached ADUs. (City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety)

Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) are allowed to be created within the walls of a proposed or existing single-family residence and shall contain no more than 500 square feet. JADUs may share central systems, contain a basic kitchen utilizing small plug-in appliances, may share a bathroom with the primary dwelling, all to reduce development costs. JADUs present no additional stress on utility services or infrastructure because they simply repurpose existing space within the residence and do not expand the dwellings planned occupancy. Below are the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) implemented Standard Plan Program to streamline the process of ADU’s for mass adoption to minimize our current housing shortage.