With a housing shortage and expensive mortgages, Accessory Dwelling Units — or ADUs — are becoming more common throughout Northern California and could potentially become an affordable housing option.ADUs are essentially tiny homes on your property that can be used as in-law suites, backyard cottages or rental units. “Sacramento has 450,000 single home parcels and we’ve identified 50,000 potential properties. So that’s 50,000 potential locations for an adu that are available because of the lot sizes, because of the simplicity,” said Jack Saba, co-founder of ADU business, Bequall.Saba added that their 390-square-foot model unit in Fair Oaks was built fairly quickly, with a permit approved within 30 days.Two bills that could boost more construction of these ADUs are now on the governor’s desk. Assembly Bill 1033 would allow cities to decide whether property owners can sell ADUs separately, and Assembly Bill 976 would permanently ban local ordinances that require property owners to live in their ADUs and allow them to rent out the properties.In Sacramento County, ADU permits nearly tripled from 2021 to 2022, and last year alone, 237 units were completed in the region, according to data from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.Ken Casparis, with Sacramento County’s community development, told KCRA that they don’t know why there’s been a sharp increase in ADU permits, but suspect it could be due to high rent and the need for more affordable housing.”I think we’re at the ground floor of this. I think we’re at the very, very beginning and we’re just getting started. It’s going to be a true solution for housing,” said Colton Paulhus, who started Anchored Tiny Homes in Fair Oaks in 2019 with his brother and father.To date, Anchored Tiny Homes has sold 500 ADUs across the state and completed construction of 250 units.The idea for their company began after they noticed a lack of single-family homes at affordable prices.Both Bequall and Anchored Tiny Homes see potential in the Sacramento region for thousands of new housing options.Anchored Tiny Homes is also encouraging people to apply to their grant program, which would save up to 30 people $15,000 off their backyard ADU.
With a housing shortage and expensive mortgages, Accessory Dwelling Units — or ADUs — are becoming more common throughout Northern California and could potentially become an affordable housing option.
ADUs are essentially tiny homes on your property that can be used as in-law suites, backyard cottages or rental units.
“Sacramento has 450,000 single home parcels and we’ve identified 50,000 potential properties. So that’s 50,000 potential locations for an adu that are available because of the lot sizes, because of the simplicity,” said Jack Saba, co-founder of ADU business, Bequall.
Saba added that their 390-square-foot model unit in Fair Oaks was built fairly quickly, with a permit approved within 30 days.
Two bills that could boost more construction of these ADUs are now on the governor’s desk.
Assembly Bill 1033 would allow cities to decide whether property owners can sell ADUs separately, and Assembly Bill 976 would permanently ban local ordinances that require property owners to live in their ADUs and allow them to rent out the properties.
In Sacramento County, ADU permits nearly tripled from 2021 to 2022, and last year alone, 237 units were completed in the region, according to data from the California Department of Housing and Community Development.
Ken Casparis, with Sacramento County’s community development, told KCRA that they don’t know why there’s been a sharp increase in ADU permits, but suspect it could be due to high rent and the need for more affordable housing.
“I think we’re at the ground floor of this. I think we’re at the very, very beginning and we’re just getting started. It’s going to be a true solution for housing,” said Colton Paulhus, who started Anchored Tiny Homes in Fair Oaks in 2019 with his brother and father.
To date, Anchored Tiny Homes has sold 500 ADUs across the state and completed construction of 250 units.
The idea for their company began after they noticed a lack of single-family homes at affordable prices.
Both Bequall and Anchored Tiny Homes see potential in the Sacramento region for thousands of new housing options.
Anchored Tiny Homes is also encouraging people to apply to their grant program, which would save up to 30 people $15,000 off their backyard ADU.