The city of Sacramento is making it easier to develop accessory dwelling units.
Sacramento is the latest U.S. city to spur the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by releasing a collection of pre-approved designs—permit ready and cheaper to build than starting from scratch with a custom design.
The city's free ADU plans now come in three versions: a studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom unit,” according to an article by Steve Large for CBS Sacramento.
As noted in the article, the city is planning to build 45,000 housing units over the next seven years as mandated by the state’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation process. ADUs are expected to account for a large portion of that sum.
Other cities around the state and the country have released similar collections of pre-approved ADU designs to spur construction, including, for example, nearby Stockton and Los Angeles to the south, as well as Norfolk, South Bend, and Raleigh, elsewhere around the country.
FULL STORY: City of Sacramento offers free architecture designs to increase housing across the city
South Bend’s Infill Plans Include Pre-Approved Multi-Family Designs
South Bend commits to infill development by pre-approving a suite of residential development options.
Denver Struggling to Unlock the Potential of Accessory Dwelling Units
Why doesn’t Denver build more ADUs? It’s complicated.
Maine Looks To Legalize ‘Missing Middle Housing’
Maine could become the third state to eliminate single-family-only zoning to encourage light density increases in residential areas and make it easier for homeowners to build accessory dwelling units.
The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.
Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.
Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.
Orange County Project Could Go Forward Under ‘Builder’s Remedy’
The nation’s largest home builder could receive approval for a 530-unit development under an obscure state law as the city of La Habra’s zoning laws hang in limbo after the state rejected its proposed housing plan.
Memphis: Crime-fighting Camera Sheds Light on Police Abuse
The irony is unmistakable. Public surveillance cameras, long controversial in the criminal justice community, provided pivotal video footage of the beating of motorist Tyre Nichols by five Memphis police officers at a traffic stop on January 7.
How Autonomous Cars Could Impact Energy Use
The complex algorithms used by self-driving vehicle technology use massive amounts of energy, which could lead to a steep rise in carbon emissions as autonomous cars become more commonplace.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
York County, Human Resources
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
City of Piedmont, CA
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.
