A Quiet Upzoning Revolution

SB 50 may be dead, but a movement the Bay Area Council began championing almost five years ago is quietly doing what that housing reform legislation aimed to do: adding density to neighborhoods dominated by single-family homes. Starting with SB 1069 (Wieckowski) in 2016 and continuing with AB 68 (Ting) last year, the Council has sponsored or supported a handful of legislation that is making it easier, faster and less costly for homeowners to add accessory dwelling units (ADU), aka granny or in-law units. AB 68, in particular, allows homeowners to add both an ADU and a junior ADU, effectively turning a single-family home into a triplex. Junior ADUs can be no larger than 500 square feet and can share a bathroom with the main house. As the ADU reforms take hold, the marketplace for these units has exploded. Permits applications have surged and the business sector is jumping in with new products and financing solutions to meet the demand. But we’re only getting started. Many cities have been slow to enact the state reforms, and the Council is working aggressively to advocate for them to make the changes. To engage in the Council’s housing policy and ADU initiative, please contact Senior Vice