San Francisco Approves Accessory Dwelling Units

"Grappling with a housing shortage that has sent rents soaring 50% since the recession, city officials on Tuesday passed legislation allowing landlords to carve fresh apartments out of underutilized spaces, including storage areas and utility rooms," reports Laura Kusisto [paywall].

"The measure allows for buildings with fewer than five units to add one apartment and larger buildings to add unlimited units. City planners estimate that could add some 14,000 units to the city’s housing stock," adds Kusisto.

Kusisto adds one detail that distinguishes the new accessory dwelling unit legislation in San Francisco from other examples around the country: "San Francisco’s legislation is unusual in that it is designed to encourage the creation of units within apartment buildings as well as in single-family houses."

Joshua Sabatini also covers the new legislation in a separate article. Sabatini focuses specifically on a political compromise that paved the way for the legislation. Another important detail that was necessary for the approval of the legislation accessory dwelling units can "only be created within existing structures in place for at least three years or in the open spaces under decks or lightwell infills if the structures existed prior to July 11." The legislation stops short of allowing ADUs in the buildable area of properties.