San Jose has issued a steadily-rising number of ADU permits in recent years. Now, Mayor Sam Liccardo has implemented measures to ease the process for homeowners who want to build granny flats.
According to San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are "the single fastest and most efficient step in addressing the city's affordable housing crisis," Emily DeRuy reports. "And with the city struggling to meet the mayor's goal of building 25,000 units — including 10,000 affordable homes — by 2022, accessory dwelling units are also a way to add to the city's housing stock."
From January through June of 2019, San Jose issued 191 ADU permits, exceeding 2018's annual total of 190 as well as a mere 91 in 2017. According to polls, almost a third of San Jose residents are interested in having an ADU on their property, and the city says over half of its single-family homes would qualify.
To ease the permitting process, the city has rolled out measures including a set of pre-approved ADU designs, an express lane at the city's permitting center, and an online portal to help residents understand what steps to take.
"Other cities in the region are implementing their own changes [...] And those policy tweaks are paying off," DeRuy writes. ADU applications are on the rise throughout the region, especially as more families turn to "multi-generational living arrangements" in the face of sky-high housing costs.
FULL STORY: San Jose aims to make building a granny flat easier
Los Angeles Streamlines ADU Permits with High-Design Templates
Los Angeles' ADU Standard Plan Program will offer homeowners a set of pre-approved designs that will save them time and money.
How One Town Solved its ADU Regulation Challenges
Against opposition, the town of Durango, Colorado has successfully found a way to permit accessory dwelling units and legalize those that already existed under the radar.
Berkeley Launches ADU Amnesty Program
Owners of unpermitted accessory dwelling units can bring their units up to code and obtain certificates of compliance without facing penalties.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service