HOUSING he granny flat has a new name . The venerable backyard addition , long loathed by local jurisdictions for its building code headaches and do-it-yourself construction and design , was not a welcome project in most municipalities . Bruce Monighan , urban design manager for the City of Sacramento , says the requirements and restrictions were different in every city and every county , adding to the confusion .
But several California housing laws , including Assembly Bill 68 and Senate Bill 13 , which went into effect Jan . 1 , 2020 , changed all that . The legislation provides parameters on how and where granny flats — now called accessory dwelling units — can be built , and it restricts local governments from adopting ordinances that hinder their construction . It also eliminates or reduces the development impact fees cities can charge for ADUs . Now these units are popping up in single-family backyards and multifamily lots all over the state , and the Capital Region is no exception . An uptick in ADU interest has planning departments and architects working together to add the product type to the area ’ s much-needed affordable housing inventory .
ADUs have been around for at least a decade , but before 2019 — when Gov . Gavin Newsom signed six housing bills intended to reduce local barriers to affordable housing — a number of restrictions made constructing an ADU prohibitive and cumbersome , such as requiring the primary or secondary dwelling unit to be owner-occupied and mandating additional parking for converted ADUs . Those restrictions and others have been lifted . But the biggest change is the elimination of development impact fees for units less than 750 square feet , which can save a property owner between $ 10,000 and $ 30,000 , according to Monighan .
To ensure ADUs are used for permanent housing and not for weekend or short-term rentals , rental agreements must be for more than 30 days . Units must also contain living , sleeping , eating , cooking and sanitation facilities , including a full kitchen and bathroom . An efficiency kitchen and shared bathroom facilities with the primary dwelling are permitted for a junior ADU , but a separate entrance is required .
“ One of the unique things about ADUs is that they are an extremely clever way to take private capital and private economic interest and have that focused on solving a state-level crisis .”
MIKE MALINOWSKI Owner and architect , Applied Architecture
Single-family-property owners can now build both a junior ADU ( no more than 500 square feet and entirely contained within an existing home ) and either a converted ADU ( like a garage conversion ) or a detached unit on the same lot . Multifamily-property owners can add up to two detached ADUs and multiple units within existing structures . Suddenly ADUs are on the radar as an affordable and flexible living space for family and friends , and to create steady passive income .
Architects get involved
Mike Malinowski has been working as an architect for more than 40 years , but even he is surprised by the number of ADU projects in the office of his Sacramento company , Applied Architecture . “ If you asked me a year ago if I would personally be doing a tiny house , I would have said , ‘ I don ’ t think so ,’” he says , referring to units less than 400 square feet . “ But they pencil so well .”
Today , Malinowski has upward of 20 ADU projects in various stages , including two tiny houses . His projects range in size from a modest 400-square-foot cottage to a 1,200-squarefoot family unit and are being constructed all over the region . Currently , he is working on projects in Elk Grove , Vacaville , Roseville , Folsom and Sacramento . The cost comes in at roughly $ 200 per square foot on the low end and up to $ 400 per square foot on the high end . He is designing homes for people who are seeking to supplement retirement income , want additional space for family or are preparing for aging parents . “ One of the unique things about ADUs is that they are an extremely clever way to take private capital and private economic interest and have that focused on solving a state-level crisis ,” he says . While some property owners choose to work with an architect for a more custom ADU , it ’ s not required . A number of manufacturers offer prefabricated or modular units that can be trucked to a site . And the City of Sacramento is working on three to four pre-engineered designs that a property owner can select and use , along with their own approved site plan . The designs will include a full set of drawings that have been preapproved by the building department . “ We want to see as many different ways to do it as possible ,” Monighan says . “ Each of
48 comstocksmag . com | August 2021