Amid a massive homelessness crisis raising rents and property values across the state, California officials and real estate professionals are looking at one of the least-known forms of housing for a possible solution an in-law apartment.
Many Angelenos are already living in back homes, ADU Los Angeles, and granny apartments (officially described as “accessory dwelling units”). The new state laws passed in 2016 have made constructing these tiny homes much more accessible.
Single-Family Homeowners can construct ADUs.
The law in the state allows homeowners living in single-family communities to construct an additional dwelling unit, provided there is room to accommodate it within their property. How much space? A detached ADU must be at most 10 feet from the main home and 5 feet from all property lines.
Cities and counties can customize state rules to a certain extent. For instance, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved the new directions last week. The city of Los Angeles is working on its own ADU ordinance. Santa Monica, Glendale, Pasadena, and Long Beach have all approved city-specific guidelines for dwellings.
Local governments may also limit the setback and dimensions for ADUs. For instance, the rules of Pasadena stipulate that a detached ADU cannot be constructed within 10 feet of the rear of a parcel instead of the five feet that are required to be set by state law.
One of the significant aspects of the new statute is that towns cannot have parking requirements to construct ADUs within a half-mile radius of the main stop of public transportation. This means more individuals can build them without figuring out how to add parking spaces or clear the clutter in their garages.
ADUs Could Make Properties Suitable For Rent Control.
Due to the Costa Hawkins Rental Housing Act, the laws governing rent control are in effect in ADU Los Angeles. They only apply to constructions built before October 1978, the date that the Rent Stabilization Ordinance of the city went into force. Single-family homes are not exempt from the rent control rules. However, those who construct and transfer into an ADU and then offer their homes for rent can trigger rent control on their primary residence for homes built before 1978. Since the ADU is an additional unit on the property, The single-family categorization is no longer applicable.
ADUs May be Listed on Airbnb in Certain Cities.
State regulations leave it to the local authorities to decide if ADUs are permitted to be listed on rental websites that offer short-term rentals, such as Airbnb. Certain cities, such as Santa Monica, Long Beach, and Los Angeles County, have decided to prohibit ADUs from short-term rental usage to encourage the owners of these properties to rent them for more extended periods.
Homeowners planning to build a vacation rental property must be aware of local laws in their region before embarking on the building.
The Airstream You Have in your Backyard isn’t an ADU.
The concept of an ADU Los Angeles is vague. It doesn’t encompass recreational vehicles such as campers and RVs, at least for now. In Los Angeles, new ADU standards being developed by city officials could create a new class of residents referred to as “moveable tiny houses.”
They can be attached to the vehicle and moved around while offering all the benefits associated with the ADU in static mode (a toilet, kitchen, and living area). However, for the moment, they are not permitted as ADUs. The residences that are on wheels can’t be used as ADUs.
ADUs Can be Used For More Than Just Housing.
ADUs may be the answer to the housing issue. However, they can be used for someone other than housing someone. Sure homeowners might need additional space for an office or yoga studio. They could also function as guest spaces.
In that regard, owners who need space aren’t likely to have to think about finding all the permits required for an ADU. The majority of photographic laboratories and fitness rooms do not require separate kitchens.