Owners of unpermitted accessory dwelling units can bring their units up to code and obtain certificates of compliance without facing penalties.
A Berkeley pilot program offers amnesty to homeowners with illegal accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in an effort to bring more housing units online and bring unpermitted units up to code, reports J.K. Dineen in the San Francisco Chronicle.
“During a four-year pilot program that started Jan. 1 and extends through 2028, Berkeley homeowners can approach city planners about getting unpermitted accessory units inspected for safety, and legalized, while being assured that the process will be confidential and no penalties will be assessed on the previously undocumented apartment.”
Owners can opt for a certificate of occupancy for units that need upgrades or a certificate of compliance for units that already meet minimum building and safety standards.
Former City Councilmember Susan Wengraf, who supported the program, “stressed that units need to be safe in order to be legalized: Amnesty doesn’t mean that squalid hovels with shoddy wiring or leaky pipes will be given the city’s blessing.” The city estimates there are as many as 4,000 unpermitted units in Berkeley.
Read the full story: Berkeley is legalizing a type of housing that could add thousands of units to the market
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