An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a secondary residential unit added to a property with an existing or planned single-family home. ADUs are sometimes referred to as granny flats, in-law units, second units, backyard homes, cottages, or basement apartments. While ADUs come in many forms and sizes, they always include a kitchen, bathroom and sleeping area.

Background

In January of 2017, a new California state law took effect that encourages
homeowners to build these ADUs. The City of Los Angeles has also made it easier than ever to add a legal rental unit to a single-family home.

Why build an ADU? Homeowners can build ADUs on their properties for a variety of reasons, such as housing a family member, gaining rental income, increasing overall property value, and adding to the affordable housing stock in their community. ADUs are affordable to build because owners don’t have to purchase additional land, and recent revisions to California State Law have made it easier to construct ADUs on single-family properties.

Next Up

Go to The Backyard Home Showcase…

• LA City Ordinance: https://planning.lacity.org/ordinances/docs/ADU/InformationSheet.pdf
• LA City’s ADU Accelerator Program: https://adu.lacity.org/
• Building An ADU Guidebook – cityLAB – https://citylab.ucla.edu/adu-guidebook
• Ask a Planner (at City Plan Check Public Counter): http://www.ladbs.org/locations/all-locations
• LATCH Collective – https://latchcollective.com/
• LA Mas Backyard Home Project: https://www.mas.la/affordable-adus
• Department of Arts and Culture’s Civic Art Program – Yes To ADU: https://www.lacountyarts.org/article/part-solution-yes-adu
• LA City Ordinance: https://planning.lacity.org/ordinances/docs/ADU/InformationSheet.pdf
• LA City’s ADU Accelerator Program: https://adu.lacity.org/
• Building An ADU Guidebook – cityLAB – https://citylab.ucla.edu/adu-guidebook
• Ask a Planner (at City Plan Check Public Counter): http://www.ladbs.org/locations/all-locations
• LATCH Collective – https://latchcollective.com/
• LA Mas Backyard Home Project: https://www.mas.la/affordable-adus