The City Council will have to decide whether to change its restrictions on cottages and in-law units, or challenge the state.
ADUs
Posted inCity
Building a cottage in your Berkeley yard? Just make sure to tell the neighbors.
Homeowners in the Berkeley flatlands can now build two-story accessory dwelling units in their yards — as long as they inform their neighbors and tenants first.
Posted inCity
2-story backyard homes approved in Berkeley flats; rules in hills will take more study
Homeowners outside the hills could get quick approval for accessory dwelling units up to 20 feet tall under new regulations.
Posted inCity
City grapples with housing crisis, fire danger as it writes rules for ADUs in hills
New state laws require swift approval for many ADU projects. Should those rules be more strict in areas facing wildfire risk?
Posted inCity
‘They just started jack-hammering’: Berkeley tenants blindsided by ADU that abuts sidewalk
While the accessory dwelling unit is legal, these South Berkeley tenants are upset they were not informed it was coming.
Posted inHousing & Development
First permitted cob structure in Berkeley could pave way for more green building
The backyard shed is made out of a cheap, earthen material similar to adobe and not recognized in the building code.
Posted inOpinion
Opinion: ADUs present an innovative way to create affordable housing
Accessory Dwelling Units are a grassroots solution to our housing affordability crisis. Berkeley now needs to create new models of housing policy to accommodate them.
Posted inCity
New laws make it even easier to build backyard cottages in Berkeley
Berkeley’s ordinance on accessory dwelling units is now up to state code and more lenient than it used to be.
Posted inSponsored
Home Truths: Should you add an Accessory Dwelling Unit to your home?
[Sponsored:] Besides helping with the Bay Area’s housing shortage, there are all sorts of other reasons to add an ADU to your property.
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: Council must adequately regulate short term rentals to protect Berkeley’s housing supply
Tonight the Berkeley City Council will vote on legalizing and regulating short-term rentals, defined as rentals which last for less than fourteen days. Currently, such rentals are illegal in Berkeley, though that hasn’t stopped multi-billion dollar companies such as Airbnb from ignoring the law. With Airbnb’s assistance, certain landlords around the state have been able […]
Posted inOpinion
Op-ed: Why Airbnb is so popular among Berkeley homeowners (A cautionary tale on renting space in your home).
Berkeley City Council is attempting to promote creation of long-term housing by reducing restrictions on “granny flats” and “accessory dwelling units” (ADU’s). The state of California similarly has Government Code Section 65583(c)(1). But something crucial is missing: social protection for homeowners. Operating an ADU or granny flat is socially quite different from owning an apartment […]
Posted inCity, Housing & Development
Officials to relax rules for Berkeley ‘granny flats’
An accessory dwelling unit on Virginia Street. Photo: Frameworks Berkeley officials voted unanimously Tuesday night to streamline the process for homeowners who want to add secondary units — sometimes called in-law units or granny flats — to their properties. Supporters of the draft plan say it is a sustainable approach to increasing density and will allow more […]