What is a Jadu?

Junior Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) are small living units (less than 500 square feet in size) like a studio apartment or efficiency, that exist within a single family residence.

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Here’s a useful definition from Los Angeles County:

“Junior ADU (JADU) means a unit that is no more than 500 sq. ft. in size and contained entirely within an SFR [single-family residence], including an attached garage. A JADU must have a separate entrance from the SFR. A JADU may share a bathroom with the main house. A JADU must have an efficiency kitchen at a minimum. Either the JADU or the SFR must be owner occupied. A property with an SFR is permitted one JADU and one detached ADU in total.” Los Angeles County Department of Regional Planning Interim Summary, June 30 2020 [edit: one day after publishing, this content was removed from the LA County website. Here is a link to the LA County Interim Summary pdf hosted by how-to-adu.com] That said, this is the definition for LA County - it isn’t the same in every part of California. The biggest and most common difference I’ve seen from one jurisdiction to another is whether a homeowner can convert non-living space like a garage into a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit, or whether they are limited to using existing livable square footage like a bed room or study. [Edit 10/30/2020:] The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has issued new guidance in September 2020 clarifying some of these discrepancies. You can read more about that update and download the new handbook including the guidance. [/edit]

There are many other variations that I have seen or heard of:

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Some of these are pretty critical differences in interpretation.

How can there be so many conflicting definitions?

While there is a state-wide code that defines Junior Accessory Dwelling Units, there are two ways that local agencies (cities, counties, water companies, etc) can create variations. They can pass ordinances further restricting construction, and they can interpret and enforce the state code in different ways. Each city and county in California may pass ordinances that affect JADUs in their jurisdictions, which can change what you can and cannot do with a JADU. For example, the city may pass laws protecting historic buildings in a historic district that would prevent you from modifying the facade to create an egress for a JADU. And furthermore, even in the absence of local ordinances or guidelines, the local planning department and inspectors may interpret and enforce the state code differently. The debate about whether garages are included in single-family residences or not is a quintessential example of this difference in interpretation.

How to learn the definition in your city or county

To figure out how your planning department treats Junior Accessory Dwelling Units, you should figure out your jurisdiction and google its junior accessory dwelling unit policy. (Here’s a link to a detailed tutorial on how to do that.) If you’re in the jurisdiction of Sonoma County, search for “Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit Sonoma County”

http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/PRMD/Regulations/Housing/Housing-Types/Accessory-Units-and-Junior-Units/

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So until Sonoma County passes new ordinances, their old ordinance is defunct, and they have to use state code So if you want to pursue a JADU garage conversion in Sonoma County, you should contact the planning department and seek a clarification about whether that’s allowed. Don’t go too far or spend too much time and money before getting that sorted out.

Okay, the example gets even better…

If you happen to live in Santa Rosa, which is in Sonoma County, then you get a totally different result. Santa Rosa passed an ordinance in March 2020 that explicitly says “The junior accessory dwelling unit shall be contained entirely within the existing walls of an existing or proposed single-family dwelling, which includes the walls of an attached garage“

So this can vary tremendously even within the same county!

If reading city and county ordinances, and writing strongly worded letters is NOT your idea of a good time, that’s one of the things we do for you at How To ADU. The first hour or so is free because we can usually help you out with existing articles and resources. Just fill out this form to get started.

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