ADUs for Sale? San Diego Could Legalize Backyard Condos

As one of 25 proposed amendments, San Diego may soon allow accessory dwelling units to be bought and sold as individual homes.

1 minute read

June 1, 2025, 9:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


White accessory dwelling unit in backyard of small grey home in Seattle, Washington.

A backyard cottage in Seattle, Washington. | Sightline Institute / Flickr

A proposed amendment to San Diego’s accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations would allow property owners to sell ADUs separately from the main home, reports Jake Gotta for KPBS. “[The amendments] would allow all the market-rate ADUs moving forward to be sellable as individual homes — often for far less than the single-family homes they sit behind.”

The units would function much like condos, which are currently not permitted in single-family zoned neighborhoods. In a city with a median home price of over $1 million, the change could open up the possibility of homeownership for many more San Diegans.

Last August, San Jose became the first California city to legalize the sale of ADUs as condos. San Francisco is also considering a similar measure. A California state law passed in 2023, AB 1033, allows property owners to sell ADUs by setting up a homeowners association for the main house and treating the ADU as a condo, with governing documents for the maintenance of shared areas and infrastructure.

Wednesday, May 28, 2025 in KPBS

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

2 hours ago - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

3 hours ago - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight