1. Tall Ceilings Make Small Spaces Larger Tall ceilings take advantage of vertical square footage to create larger volumes, thus...

ADUs are small, fully-finished living spaces that can be rented out or used as additional living space. They are also known as in-law...

In California, prior to 2016, legally converting or building an ADU was met with a host of local regulations to the point that an ADU...

JADU Rules and the Differences Between ADUs and JADUs ADUs are larger, in many cases up to 1,200 square feet are allowed. A full kitchen...

New ADU Law: California’s SB 897 Senate Bill 897 clarifies and expands upon previously passed statewide legislation regarding accessory...

What If My ADU Already Exists? If you have an existing ADU that is not currently legally permitted, you may find that some of these...

Over the years our architectural practice has worked out some best design practices for the design of small homes and accessory units, as...

ADUs are small by design and share a lot with the existing residence — often making them more affordable to renters than an apartment of...

In California, prior to 2016, legally converting or building an ADU was met with a host of local regulations to the point that an ADU...

ADU Types For any homeowner on any property their design option will fall into one of four (4) categories, or types, as follows: • ADUs...

Available at www.sccoplanning.com/ADU, the toolkit includes a summary of recently revised regulations designed to make it easier to build...

Community Profile Although Santa Cruz follows “smart growth” principles by encouraging greater density along transportation corridors,...

An accessory dwelling is a small second dwelling on a piece of property, sometimes inside an existing home, in a garage or built...

Is an ADU a Good Investment? Even with ADUs gaining popularity, the value an ADU adds to a given piece of property is hard to calculate....

ADUs are granny units, in-law units or other accessory structures with independent living facilities (i.e., kitchen and bathroom) and...

The new substantive rules include the following: • ADUs shall not be required to provide fire sprinklers if not required for the primary...

Followers of this blog will recall that in August I wrote Seven First Steps to Success describing the merits, advantages, and how to...