More than 23,000 permits for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), also called Granny Flats, were issued in California last year. The city of Los Angeles lead the way with 7160 permits. By comparison, just 1387 permits were issued in Los Angeles for single-family homes. The city of San Diego had the next-highest total of ADU permits in the state with 662 issued.
Interestingly, a study done by the NYU Furman Center found ADUs are not being build in the wealthiest neighborhoods, but in low to middle income areas with relatively good access to jobs. This supports the theory that encouraged the State of California to pass laws making it easier to build an ADU as a way to address the housing shortage. It is too soon to make any sweeping statements about its success but initial data is interesting. To read a recent article in the Washington Post on the growth of ADUs click here.
