Small Space, Big Impact: Junior ADUs Are Still Opening Doors
Updated: Oct 20
This JADU project in Santa Cruz brings us particular joy. It’s a delightful one-bedroom apartment on the upper floor of a home full of charming architectural detail, and it allows a wonderful older couple to stay in their home and continue living affordably in their community.
It’s also personal for us. Our own Rachel Ginis, Hello Housing’s Senior Project Manager, led Lilypad Homes when it sponsored AB 2406 (Thurmond, 2016), the original state law creating Junior Accessory Dwelling Units. Ten years later, it’s thrilling to see JADUs continue to open doors to affordable housing for owners and renters alike.
What makes JADUs so compelling as a housing strategy in California?
They use space that already exists. A JADU is carved out of the existing house, often a spare bedroom or underused suite, and sometimes the garage, so there’s no land cost, no new foundation, roof or exterior walls. They can also be added to homes that are being newly constructed. The work usually involves an exterior entrance, an efficiency kitchen, and sometimes a bathroom, at a fraction of the cost of a detached ADU. For homeowners who can’t finance $300,000 or more for a backyard cottage, a JADU may be the most realistic path to adding a home.
State law keeps fees and red tape low. Because a JADU sits inside the primary dwelling, it doesn’t require separate utility connections or the capacity fees that come with them, and local agencies can’t require additional parking. Approval is ministerial, with a statutory review deadline, so homeowners know what to expect.
They fit how people actually live. The option to share a bathroom or keep an interior door to the main house makes JADUs flexible. A homeowner can bring in a caregiver, house an adult child or aging parent, rent to a tenant for extra income, or move into the JADU themselves and rent out the main house. That flexibility makes JADUs one of the most practical aging-in-place tools available.
They’re naturally affordable and nearly invisible. JADUs are small, no more than 500 square feet, and are often rented to people the owner already knows, so rents frequently fall below market without any subsidy. From the street, nothing changes, which makes them an easy fit even in neighborhoods wary of new density.
They’re reversible. The space can return to being part of the main house when the household’s needs change, which lowers the commitment for hesitant homeowners.
Planning tip: decide early about the interior connection. When designing a JADU, decide early whether to keep an interior connection to the main house. This can be a single door or a pair of doors, like those between adjoining hotel suites. A JADU that remains connected can share the home’s central systems, including water, heating, and cooling, so the space can shift between uses as the household’s needs change. Keep in mind that JADUs must be owner-occupied (the owner lives in either the JADU or the main house) and can’t be used as short-term rentals; any rental must be for more than 30 days.
The team in Santa Cruz County, making this opportunity happen!
Are you inspired? HelloADU is here to help you dream big, and to make sure you have the support you need all of the way through the project. Sign up for a free consultation and let us help you create the housing you need for your life.
Thank you! The Hello ADU Team
