Accessory Dwelling Units

This article discusses the national trend in state and local regulations toward more permissive regulations for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and presents the findings of a study of local regulations in California. The authors looked at zoning regulations from all cities in California with populations over 50,000 and found that, despite state requirements to permit ADUs by right, many of these cities still have development and design standards that present a barrier to ADUs. The article profiles several of these communities.