Publication: San Jose Mercury
State lawmakers believe too many California homeowners still struggle to build granny flats, with high fees, construction costs and regulations stalling even the most careful plans.
A handful of proposals in Sacramento would expand the years-long efforts to clear hurdles for homeowners interested in building auxiliary dwelling units (ADUs) on their property. The measures would close some loopholes and cut more red tape in laws adopted in the last three years to ease the construction process for the units.
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Assemblymember Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, has proposed streamlining the local approval process. His bill, AB 68, would reduce the deadline for municipalities to review and approve auxiliary units from 120 to 60 days. It would also prohibit towns and cities from enacting laws aimed at restricting the units, such as parking and lot size requirements.
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Ting said encouraging ADU construction is a way to bring more housing to communities with minimal disruption. “The real goal is to get more housing production up and down the state,” he said.