California Tiny Home News
First Prefabricated ADU Installed In Long Beach Feb. 3rd, 2020
Residents ventured out of their homes along Palo Verde Avenue and drivers pulled over to the side of the road to watch as a home, piece by piece, was lifted into the air by a massive crane and maneuvered into a single-family backyard near California State University, Long Beach, on a sunny January afternoon.
o combat the statewide housing crisis, government officials in Sacramento and Long Beach have passed legislation to encourage residential development of all types, including accessory dwelling units (ADU) – small, secondary homes adjacent to a single-family houses or multi-family buildings on the same property. Traditionally, these homes have been conversions of already-existing spaces, such as garages, or new buildings constructed onsite; but on January 23, the first prefabricated ADU in Long Beach was installed by local developer InstaHome (Instahome2020.com).
Article Source Long Beach Business Journal
Marin County eases rules on ‘accessory’ apartments Feb. 2nd, 2020
On Tuesday, the Marin County Board of Supervisors amended county regulations to bring them in compliance with five new state laws that facilitate the creation of rentals known as “accessory dwelling units,” or ADUs, and “junior accessory dwelling units,” or JADUs.
The changes were made under an urgency ordinance that expires in 45 days unless renewed. Had the supervisors not acted, the state laws, which became effective Jan. 1, 2020, would have superseded existing local regulations.
On Jan. 14, the supervisors voted to extend and expand local incentives for creating the rentals.
Article Source Marin Independent Journal
Sutter Home: Project Tiny Home Building 10 Homes For Americans In Need Jan. 29th, 2020
ST. HELENA, Calif., Jan. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Sutter Home Family Vineyards today announced its national giving campaign, Sutter Home: Project Tiny Home. The wine brand’s philanthropic initiative is helping to build 10 Tiny Homes for veterans, victims of natural disasters, first responders and others struggling with housing instability throughout the multi-year campaign. Sutter Home: Project Tiny Home has built two homes to-date; the first home – in Florida – reunited an active-duty military family with their young daughter in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma; the second home – in California – is helping a travelling nurse provide aid in underserved areas. The program’s upcoming third home – to reside in New Hampshire – will make it possible for a soldier to continue serving in the U.S. Army in remembrance of her friend. San Francisco will be home to the fourth recipient – a Navy veteran suffering from PTSD – as she continues her work in healthcare. Six homes remain available for Americans in need.
Integral to Sutter Home: Project Tiny Home are Tiny House Nation host Zack Giffin and nonprofit Operation Tiny Home. Spokesperson Zack Giffin has been championing the Tiny House movement since its origin, both through his work on the A+E® and Netflix® show and in collaboration with Operation Tiny Home. Operation Tiny Home has been driving change with Tiny Homes since 2014, when founder Gabrielle Rapport raised funds to build the nonprofit’s first home for a combat-wounded veteran who struggled with severe housing instability. Giffin and Rapport first collaborated in 2017 to launch a program that teaches carpentry and construction skills to veterans; Sutter Home: Project Tiny Home is their latest joint initiative, in partnership with Sutter Home Family Vineyards.
Milpitas City Council approves revised ADU plan Jan, 23rd, 2020
The Milpitas City Council Tuesday voted 4-1 — with Councilmember Karina Dominguez dissenting — to approve a revised five-acre, single-family home development on North Park Victoria Avenue.
The project will build 38 single-family homes on the site, with four of those homes designated as affordable. Ten of the homes will have accessory dwelling units (ADUs) attached to them, colloquially known as “granny units.” Cities like San Jose have looked to granny units in recent years to help solve the Bay Area’s affordable housing crisis by using already-existing housing.
The plan was originally heard in November, 2019, when the project’s developer, Robson Homes, requested to pay in-lieu fees to adhere to the city’s 15 percent affordable housing ordinance instead of building the required 5.1 units. Instead, the council asked Robson to present revised plans that included affordable housing.
Volunteers create unapproved tiny home development on Oakland median Jan. 19th, 2020
Organized by the Village, a homeless service and advocacy group, the micro-development of 11 small homes, dubbed the Right to Exist Curbside Community, could be bulldozed like other such projects built without the city’s permission. But the organizers hope it provides a blueprint for how to quickly provide transitional housing for Oakland’s homeless population, which grew by 47% last year, according to Alameda County’s tally.
“We’re trying to present a model for new, rapid rehousing in an unbelievable housing crisis,” said Needa Bee, a Village founder and organizer. “Our intention is to keep them up here until there is permanent housing for these folks.”
Article Source San Francisco Chronicle
ADU Development Activity Is Increasing in Los Angeles Jan. 17th, 2020
In 2018, the State of California loosened the regulations around accessory dwelling unit—or ADU—development for single-family homeowners as a way to increase density and bring more housing supply to the market. In the last two years, ADU development has increased dramatically as homeowners better understand how they can take advantage of the opportunity.
“This is getting a lot of press because of the legislation,” Paul Dashevky, a partner at GreatBuildz, tells GlobeSt.com. “The state legislation has eased up restrictions to create more density, and that has opened up a lot of possibilities. For all intents and purposes, an ADU is a second units. However, it isn’t categorized as a second unit, but that is essentially what you will have. It is a property with two homes on it. There are a lot of creative ways for people to use them.”
San Jose: Owners of illegally built granny units can get a fine-free permit Jan. 7th, 2020
San Jose residents who disregarded regulations and illegally built or converted garages, sheds or other types of in-law units, have been given a penalty-free pathway to turn them into safe, legal dwellings.
A new amnesty program approved unanimously by the San Jose City Council on Tuesday gives owners of illegal granny or in-law units — also known as accessory dwelling units — the opportunity to bring them up to code without paying the typical fees and fines for violating the permit process.
The two-year program is part of an ongoing effort within the city — and the region as a whole — to boost its housing stock by pushing the production of easy and affordable additional units on a property. In turn, the number of building permits issued by the city for in-law units has grown ten-fold over the past four years — from just 39 in 2016 up to 416 in 2019.
Article Source The Mercury News
New state law should ease some restrictions on construction Dec. 26th, 2019
Changes in state law that take effect Jan. 1 are expected to increase the number of properties eligible for ccessory dwelling units (ADUs. also known as granny units, in-law units, and backyard cottages). The regulatory updates will remove minimum lot size requirements and reduce setback requirements, and private covenants (CC&Rs) may no longer prohibit ADUs on lots zoned for single family dwellings. However, properties must have adequate water and sewer or septic capacity in order to have an ADU.
“Accessory dwelling units provide property owners with the opportunity to generate income or house family members, while helping increase the number of housing units in the county,” said Board of Supervisors Chair David Rabbitt.
Permit Sonoma will implement the regulatory changes and work with property owners to permit new ADUs. Zoning permits will no longer be required for ADUs, though the process will still require building permits and any applicable related permits such as septic and grading permits.
Article Source Sonoma Index Tribune
County Awarded $2.5 Million to House Veterans Experiencing Homelessness Dec. 19th, 2019
The County Health and Human Services Agency has been awarded an annual $2.5 million federal grant to fund housing vouchers for veterans who are experiencing homelessness.
The $2,520,346 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will allow the County to issue housing vouchers to 175 unsheltered veterans in San Diego County.
The funds are administered through the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, or VASH, a collaborative effort between HUD and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). VASH provides rental assistance, ongoing VA case management and supportive services, including drug and alcohol counseling and finance education to veterans without a stable home.
Article SourceCounty News Center
Tiny homes delivered to help homeless in Hayward, Castro Valley Dec. 12th, 2019
HAYWARD, Calif. (KGO) — A church in the Hayward and Castro Valley area took a delivery on Thursday that was tiny and huge at the same time.
After two years of fundraising, and two months of construction, six tiny homes were delivered to the parking lot of the First Presbyterian Church of Hayward.”When I got out of my car this morning, I saw the forklift and almost, I was like ‘don’t cry right now,'” said Chizu Buckalew, who directs the churches’ effort to house the homeless.
Sebastopol updates its granny unit rules Dec. 11th, 2019
This fall, the California legislature passed a slew of new housing laws, aimed at easing California’s housing crisis by loosening restrictions on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), otherwise known as granny units.
These laws — which include AB 881, AB 670 and 671, AB 587, SB 13, AB 68 — will go into effect on Jan. 1, and cities around the state are racing to make their ADU ordinances comply with the new regulations.
The new laws address both ADUs and JADUs (junior accessory dwelling units). A JADU is the conversion of a small part of an existing house, like a spare bedroom, into a separate unit with an external entrance.
As a result, many of Sebastopol’s ADU rules — no minimum lot sizes for ADUs; no owner occupancy requirement; the ability to add both an ADU and JADU on a single lot — are already in compliance.
Hayward Church, Builders Team Up to Provide ‘Tiny’ Housing for East Bay Homeless Dec. 8th, 2019
HAYWARD (CBS SF) — A nonprofit provider of housing for the homeless is leading a team of home builders and contractors in designing, building and installing six “tiny homes” at the First Presbyterian Church of Hayward.
Residents who participate in HomeAid Northern California’s 18-month “Tiny Homes” program will be able to use the rent they have paid to the First Presbyterian Church toward a deposit on a permanent housing solution.
San Jose Puts Finishing Touches on ‘Tiny Homes’ for the Homeless Dec 2nd, 2019
Under the pelting rain on a recent weekday morning, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo joined some of his colleagues to put the finishing touches on the city’s first so-called tiny homes for the homeless.
The cluster of 40 miniature sleeping cabins that cropped up on a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) property by the Berryessa BART station after years of planning and negotiations is part of a pilot program to provide transitional shelter for the South Bay’s burgeoning homeless population.
“As we’re all muzzling through the rain, it’s too easy to forget that over 6,000 of our neighbors are actually living outside in the rain and somehow surviving,” Liccardo said at the pre-Thanksgiving Day building event. “We have a lot to be thankful for. We critically need to put that gratitude into action to do more to help our friends and neighbors who are struggling.”
Article Source San Jose Inside
San Jose: Volunteers build tiny homes for homeless ahead of Thanksgiving Nov. 27th, 2019
At a Habitat for Humanity worksite in East San Jose Wednesday morning Mayor Sam Liccardo joined volunteers gathered in the driving rain to put the finishing touches on 40 tiny homes that will be placed on a nearby lot and used as transitional housing for homeless residents next year.
The typical tiny home is only 80-square-feet — a rectangle 8-feet wide and 10-feet long — with just enough room inside for a few shelves, a small desk and a single bed. A few of the units are slightly larger, about 120-square-feet, to accommodate tenants in wheelchairs. The cabins, once they’re constructed are being moved to a city-leased lot on Mabury Road to create the tiny home village. The site will also have a shared laundry room, bathroom and kitchen facilities.
Article Source San Jose Spotlight
San Jose’s Temporary Housing Solution / Meet The ‘Youth Of The Year’ / A Hidden Castle Nov. 19th, 2019
Big dream leads to tiny home project Nov. 9th, 2019
The completion of the first tiny home is a dream come true for Sandy Blair and Operation WEBS, or Women Empowered Build Strong, the nonprofit organization Blair started in 2017.
“We’ve had a tremendous amount of community support,” said Blair. “We want to build a community of women veterans. We provide resources for women veterans to build a safe place where they can rebuild their lives while also creating a farming community to give women vets a purpose and create a sense of self-worth.
Tiny Homes, Big Heart: Houses For Camp Fire, Kincade Fire Victims Nov. 8th, 2019
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA— Friday, Nov. 8 marks one year since the horrific Butte County Camp Fire broke out, claiming at least 85 lives and destroying much of the Northern California town of Paradise. While it is not a day to “celebrate,” some eight Camp Fire survivors do have something tangible to recognize: a 240-square-foot tiny home built and designed just for them by someone who knows all too well how it feels to lose a home to a wildfire.
“It is sad, it does make me want to cry,” said Oroville resident Alyssa Nolan, who lost her Concow home in the 2008 Butte Lightning Complex fire.
Kincade Fire points out another advantage of tiny home Oct. 31st, 2019
SAN RAMON — Tiny homes have taken off in popularity and have been widely touted as one of the solutions to the Bay Area’s housing crisis because of their affordability.
But the Kincade Fire that’s engulfed Sonoma County revealed another advantage: the ability for people to evacuate from a wildfire — and take their home with them. No more concerns about spoiled food, sleeping in a car or an evacuation center, and no more worries if the house would still be standing in a wildfire.
That was made clear to a Sebastopol couple when the Kincade Fire broke out the evening of Oct. 23 near Geyserville, about 27 miles northeast of their town. Luckily, their tiny home was already out of the area and they avoided being stuck in the backup of people evacuating.
Sacramento Mayor Calls For Rapid Expansion Of Tiny Homes Across California Oct. 29th, 2019
To ease California’s homeless crisis and boost affordable housing, cities across the state are slowly embracing so-called tiny homes.
In Sacramento, Mayor Darrell Steinberg wants his city to spend $30 million to jump-start the rapid production of these structures, which are sometimes just 500 square feet or less.
Steinberg, who chairs the state’s commission on homelessness, said other local governments should follow his lead.
He said cities will never produce the volume of affordable housing needed by subsidizing only standard-sized apartments. Especially when each individual apartment unit can cost upwards of $500,000 dollars to develop.
Article Source Capital Public Radio
After months of dispute, Caltrans and San Jose reach agreement on tiny homes Oct. 21st, 2019
A longstanding battle between Caltrans and San Jose has had Mayor Sam Liccardo wrought up, as he continues to fight for tiny homes on the state agency’s vacant property.
Nearly a year after the City Council approved the tiny homes for homeless residents on the agency’s land, challenges with lease negotiations and legal disputes stalled the construction of the 40 tiny homes the city wants to build right next to Highway 101 off Felipe Ave.
In a memo last month, the mayor expressed frustration with Caltrans over a “logjam” with building the tiny homes, resulting from stalled negotiations.
Article Source San Jose Spotlight
Builders, Designers Eye Ways To Make Thousands Of Californians Landlords Oct. 21st, 2019
One by one, people came in waves to Crate Modular’s open house in Carson, California, to check out the modular company’s newest offerings. With brochures and model displays on tabletops, rendering videos on televisions and a full-sized unit on the factory floor, the 160 SF and 320 SF detached units made out of recycled shipping containers had all the basics one needs in a tiny home: lighting, windows, a small kitchen with two electric burners, air conditioning and a bathroom with a toilet, bathtub and shower.
Homeowners creating rentals by converting garages into apartments Oct. 18th, 2019
Murray Lampert CEO Gregg Cantor said many San Diego County cities are making it much easier to convert homes into granny flats, officially known as “accessory dwelling units” or ADU’s. The City of San Diego has eliminated some fees to encourage homeowners, while also eliminating some regulations that used to block ADU creation.
10News visited the 95-year-old North Park home of Mike Walsh, who is in the process of remodeling his garage.
“It was a huge garage and we had a bunch of space in it, so we thought we’d try to convert it into something a little more useful,” Walsh said.
Builders propose a community of micro-homes in Atascadero — and they’d start at $250,000 Oct. 16th, 2019
Will building smaller, “affordable by design” houses really make Central Coast homes cheaper? A San Luis Obispo County builder will test this theory with a new Atascadero project.
Cal Coastal Properties on Nov. 12 will present Grand Oaks Paseo, a 30-unit “micro-home” development, to the Atascadero City Council. The project will be made up of 500- to 900-square-foot houses and live-work spaces on a 1.7-acre El Camino Real property near the Kmart shopping center.
The development will include a mix of 26 one-, two- and three-bedroom homes, along with four units featuring office space on the ground floor and attached housing on the top floor.
Are tiny homes solution to homelessness? Oct. 16th, 2019
RICHMOND, Calif. – It’s a small but growing movement in California’s Bay Area: living tiny. Community leaders are increasingly deploying tiny homes to help the homeless.
The concept of tiny homes for the homeless is gaining momentum around the region. Oakland has its Community Cabin program, San Jose is building Tiny Homes for the homeless, and housing advocates in San Francisco proposed a Tiny Home village in the Tenderloin. But Kovattana worries these programs are missing the point.
Article Source Channel 3000
Introducing GeoComb Homes Oct. 15th, 2019
De la Guerra Plaza is playing host this weekend to the 2nd Annual Housing Santa Barbara Day, where workshops will cover home ownership programs, the rights and responsibilities of tenants, and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) permitting. Organized by the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara, the October 19 event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. will also offer free trolley tours of affordable complexes in and around downtown, not to mention food trucks, face painting, and music by Spencer the Gardener.
Among the presenters hand-picked by the Housing Authority is GeoComb Homes, an alternative housing start-up being bootstrapped by Santa Barbara residents James Spitzer and his daughter Ayla Armstrong.
Article Source Santa Barbara Independent
New Progress in Battling Housing Crisis Oct. 15th, 2019
On October 8, the broadest political coalition for a California tenant protection measure in history assembled in Oakland for a signing ceremony for AB 1482 and other housing bills. Nearly every key state legislator joined Governor Newsom, State Senate Leader Adkins, and AB 1482 sponsor David Chiu for the event.
ACCE, PICO, and SEIU locals were among the community groups joining the celebration. Also present were key members of the 3 P’s Coalition for Housing Production, Protection and Preservation. These nonprofit housing developers, foundations, policy groups and private developers brought the political clout to the battle to enact statewide rent caps and just cause eviction laws that tenant advocates lacked on their own.
Central Coast Tiny Home Expo gets big turnout in San Luis Obispo Oct. 14th, 2019
Thousands of people got an inside look of smaller living spaces at the Tiny Footprint: Central Coast Tiny House & Net Zero Expo held over the weekend at the Madonna Meadows.
SmartShare Housing Solutions partnered with Ecologistics and the SLO Climate Coalition to showcase a number of tiny houses as part of the trend toward a more sustainable lifestyle.
Will California’s new ADU laws create a backyard building boom? Oct. 11th, 2019
“People will be able to have an ADU and a junior ADU on single family lots, or they can convert two garages on a duplex lot,” says Ira Belgrade, an advocate and consultant for ADU construction in Los Angeles and runs the site YimbyLA. “That’s big for LA!”
State Sen. Bob Wieckowski, a Democrat from the Bay Area and longtime ADU advocate who’s successfully backed three ADU bills in four years, says there’s recently been a surge in production in cities such as San Diego, San Jose and Los Angeles. A number of ADU developers have told him that they’re looking to hire and expand.
San Diego housing panel OKs movable tiny houses as new, low-cost option October 10th, 2019
SAN DIEGO —
San Diego officials say they plan to begin allowing movable “tiny houses” in backyards across the city, to help address the local homelessness and affordable housing crises.
The tiny houses, which are similar to granny flats but smaller, can be built more quickly and cheaply than granny flats and will create a new source of low-cost housing — without any government subsidies, city officials said this week.
Special Thanks To Dan Fitzpatrick: The Director Of Government Relations For ATHA and THIA
This is a week of good news in tiny house land! For the past several months ATHA and THIA have been working with the San Diego City Council and staff to legalize movable tiny houses as ADUs. As you may recall, I had the opportunity, several months ago, to present to the Council on the wisdom of including movable tiny houses as ADUs.
Today the Land Use and Housing council committee voted unanimously to direct City Attorney to draft an amendment to San Diego’s municipal code that would allow movable tiny houses as ADU’s.
Governor Gavin Newsom Signs 18 Bills to Boost Housing Production October 9th, 2019
The construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) can also help cities meet their housing goals and increase the state’s affordable housing supply. The Governor signed the following bills to eliminate barriers to building ADUs:
- AB 68 by Assembly member Philip Ting (D-San Francisco) makes major changes to facilitate the development of more ADUs and address barriers to building. The bill reduces barriers to ADU approval and construction, which will increase production of these low-cost, energy-efficient units and add to California’s affordable housing supply
- AB 881 by Assembly member Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica) removes impediments to ADU construction by restricting local jurisdictions’ permitting criteria, clarifying that ADUs must receive streamlined approval if constructed in existing garages, and eliminating local agencies’ ability to require owner-occupancy for five years.
From the office of Governor Gavin Newsom
California in-law units could be cheaper, easier to build under new bills Oct. 7th, 2019
Several bills sitting on Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk would cut red tape and bring more in-law flats to backyards and garages across the state.
The Legislature has sent the governor measures with major changes to state laws governing granny flats, cutting permit fees, allowing more units on large properties and granting limited amnesty to existing units.
The governor has until Oct. 13 to act on the bills. Lawmakers are optimistic the measures will be signed.
Article Source The Mercury News
Ever thought about tiny home living? SLO event provides model tours and info for buyers Oct. 7th, 2019
The first tiny homes have officially moved in to San Luis Obispo since permitting opened up in March. And an expo showcasing models and educating prospective owners will take place Oct. 11-13 at Madonna Inn with the goal of inspiring more tiny-home living opportunities.
The upcoming event is expected to attracted hundreds, possibly thousands, of people exploring the idea of tiny-home living, said Celeste Goyer, operations director for the nonprofit Smart Share Housing Solutions.
The homes must be hooked up to city-inspected utility lines per SLO’s standards; permit fees are approximately $1,650 (including building permit and entitlement application), Codron said.
“We’re hoping to get the word out to the building community so they start including the hookups in the home property,” Goyer said. “Yard rents (spaces leased by property owners to tiny home tenants) are typically in the $400 to $800 range.”
County Introduces Pre-Approved ADU Plans-Incentivizing Homeowners To Build Granny Flats October 4th, 2019
In its efforts to increase the availability of affordable housing, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has introduced an innovative, pre-approved floor plan program that incentivizes homeowners in unincorporated areas, including Fallbrook, to build an accessory dwelling unit, commonly called a granny flat, on their property.
Currently, no-cost, permit-ready plans for one 600-square-foot and one 1,200-square-foot ADU are posted at sandiegocounty.gov/ADU. More plans will be added in the future.
Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who spearheaded the effort, believes that these pre-approved plans can save property owners as much as $15,000 in design costs. She says this amount is doubled by the County’s five-year ADU fee waiver program launched in January, which also can save as much as $15,000, for a total potential savings of $30,000 per unit.
Article Source The Village News
The Latest Quick Fix for the Housing Crisis? Granny Flats Oct. 2nd, 2019
hat dam opened in early 2017, when his state of California passed legislation that loosened rules to build ADUs — also cheekily called granny flats, in-law units or casitas. Today, Vallejos has built nearly 200 units in the Bay Area and runs a company that expects to assemble 1,400 prefabricated, off-site “kits” for ADU construction across Northern California next year. They’re a quick fix that Vallejos calls the “low-hanging fruit” of affordable housing policy. It’s one that’s now catching on across a country that faces an estimated shortfall of 7 million rental units for low-income renters, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
County Introduces Pre-Approved ADU Plans-Incentivizing Homeowners To Build Granny Flats
In its efforts to increase the availability of affordable housing, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors has introduced an innovative, pre-approved floor plan program that incentivizes homeowners in unincorporated areas, including Fallbrook, to build an accessory dwelling unit, commonly called a granny flat, on their property.
Currently, no-cost, permit-ready plans for one 600-square-foot and one 1,200-square-foot ADU are posted at http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/ADU. More plans will be added in the future.
Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who spearheaded the effort, believes that these pre-approved plans can save property owners as much as $15,000 in design costs. She says this amount is doubled by the County’s five-year ADU fee waiver program launched in January, which also can save as much as $15,000, for a total potential savings of $30,000 per unit.
Sonoma County supervisors remove granny unit restrictions on some farm parcels Sept. 30th, 2019
This month, the county eliminated zoning rules that prohibit the construction of granny units on some agriculture properties, attempting to expand the supply of affordable housing at a time when the county is in dire need of more homes.
On Sept. 17, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve an ordinance that removed the Z District restriction from 1,924 of the nearly 3,985 agriculture parcels where granny units were considered inappropriate. Officials said granny units could provide additional income to farmers, as well as housing for farm worker families.
Article Source The Press Democrat
HUD Says Deregulation, Not Affordable Housing, Needed to Solve Homelessness Sept. 27th, 2019
n 1987 there was an expression of national will to respond to America’s homeless through enactment of the McKinney Homeless Act. That statute created the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness dedicating the ongoing support of 19 federal agencies to prevent and end homelessness. HUD is one of the participating agencies. The Council on Homelessness even has a written plan, “Home, Together,” that lays out federal remedies over the fiscal years of 2018-2022.
Article Source Washington Informer
Did California Just Abolish Single-Family Zoning? Sept. 19th, 2019
From the passage of statewide rent control to the failure of a bill legalizing more home construction near transit and job centers, it hasn’t been a great year for free market solutions to California’s housing shortage. That is, at least, until you consider the quiet success of efforts to allow for more accessory dwelling units (ADUs).
In the waning days of the 2019 legislative session, state lawmakers passed a series of bills loosening up zoning rules governing ADUs, sometimes known as granny flats or in-law suites. These reforms—which build on legislation passed in 2016—put additional limits on the powers of local governments to regulate ADUs to death, and allow more homeowners to convert their garage or tool shed into affordable rental housing.
United States: California Legislature Passes Housing Crisis Act Of 2019 And Rent Control Bill, Among Others Sept. 19th, 2019
Highlights
- A handful of important state laws related to housing have been passed by the California legislature, including the Housing Crisis Act of 2019 (SB 330), which provides a set of limited reforms to the Housing Accountability Act (HAA), Planning and Zoning Law, and Permit Streamlining Act.
- As usual, most of the major housing bills ether will (or will not) be passed at or near the deadline for the legislature to act on by Sept. 13, 2019. Gov. Gavin Newsom must sign or veto the approved bills by Oct. 13, 2019, with some exceptions, and most would take effect in January 2020. .
- Holland & Knight is monitoring this activity and will report on additional laws passed by the legislature once the legislative session concludes.
City of Cotati Urges Gov. Newsom To Sign Affordable Housing Bill Sept. 19th, 2019
COTATI, CA — The City of Cotati is urging California Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill passed by the state Legislature that would give funding to local governments to help them pay to house low income and homeless families.
Senate Bill 5, also known as the Affordable Housing and Community Development Investment Program (Beall, McGuire, Portantino), would establish a partnership between the state government and cities and counties to provide ongoing, sustainable funding to subsidize affordable housing in the City of Cotati and communities throughout the state. Cotati officials say the legislation will go a long way in helping cities address their affordable housing and homeless crises.
California wants you to build a ‘granny flat’ in your garage or backyard. Here’s why Sept. 19th, 2019
SACRAMENTO, Calif. They used to be called granny flats. Now, they’re billed as a secret element to solving California’s housing crisis.
Striving for ways to boost housing, California legislators have sent two controversial bills to the governor that would make it easier for homeowners to turn garages into rental units or build cottage apartments in the backyard.
The effort has become a focal point among California’s infill-housing advocates in urban areas who subscribe to what they call YIMBYism, an acronym for Yes In My Backyard.
One bill, AB 68 by San Francisco Assemblyman Phil Ting, would limit cities’ ability to say no when a homeowner files for permits to build second units that are less than 850 square feet in size and 16 feet in height.
Grass Valley receives $160,000 in SB 2 Planning Grants from California Department of Housing and Community Development Sept. 19th, 2019
SACRAMENTO September 19, 2019 – The California Department of Housing and Community Development has announced that more than $3 million in SB 2 planning grant money and nearly $22 million in Community Development Block Grant money has been awarded recently. In addition, two cities have come into compliance with state Housing Element law and one city is at risk of losing compliance.
Trump’s big idea to fix homelessness is to do what California is already doing — sort of Sept. 19th, 2019
On the eve of a two-day swing through the state this week, Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers released a report blaming “decades of misguided and faulty policies” for putting too many restrictions on development and causing home prices to rise to unaffordable levels. It’s a continuation of a strategy that the president began in June, when he signed an executive order to establish a White House council to “confront the regulatory barriers to affordable housing development.
Article Source Los Angeles Times
California teachers struggle to find affordable housing Sept. 18th, 2019
LOS GATOS, Calif. (KPIX) – Housing prices in California’s Bay Area are some of the highest in the nation. And for school teachers that can make things really tough. So the board of supervisors held a town hall to look for solutions.
Cameron Clarno’s been a teacher for more than fifteen years. “It’s a great job, it’s a great community,” he said. And when the Los Gatos Union School District offered him a choir and music teacher position: “I jumped at the chance to take it.”
Airbnb to Invest $25 Million in Affordable Housing in California Sept. 18th, 2019
Airbnb is pledging $25 million toward affordable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles County. If successful, the pilot program could be expanded to support additional communities across the state and the nation.
Airbnb co-founder and CEO Brian Chesky announced the pilot program at the 2019 Philanthropy Innovation Summit at Stanford University during a panel discussion that included Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Officials expect Airbnb’s investment to be deployed in a number of areas, including providing the debt portion for affordable multifamily projects, including takeout financing, according to Homer. In particular, Homer said he hopes to work with the California Housing Finance Agency to either buy bonds or direct loans that the agency makes for affordable housing.
Article Source Housing Finance
HUD Secretary Ben Carson visited Bay Area to address homeless crisis Sept. 17th, 2019
The project is one of five properties revamped with funds from HOPE SF.
He wanted to tour the facility to see how it’s working and maybe use it as an example that can be replicated throughout the state and country.
Carson talked about homelessness housing and what the government can do to get people off of the streets.
Affordable, permanent supportive housing development slated for Mar Vista Sept. 17th, 2019
People with disabilities are particularly vulnerable in the city’s housing crisis because affordable housing is not usually accessible housing, says TJ Hill, the executive director of the Disability Community Resource Center. Housing that takes Section 8 vouchers is also not often wheelchair-accessible, he says.
The federal government has sued the city of Los Angeles for not providing enough affordable housing for people with mobility-related disabilities, a problem it has not fully addressed, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Article Source Curbed Los Angeles
Affordable housing, homelessness update Sept. 16th, 2019
The city has also encouraged the development of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) by reducing fees and speeding up the approval processes. In May, the Healdsburg City Council voted unanimously to waive fees to build an ADU (otherwise known as a granny unit) under 850 square feet and reduce the fees by half for ADUs up to 1,200 feet. For more information about the city’s ADU changes and requirements, please read our frequently asked questions or download our brochure: ci.healdsburg.ca.us/853/Accessory-Dwelling-Units—ADUs
Kaplan Proposes Solutions for Oakland’s Lack of Affordable Housing Sept. 19th, 2019
Rebecca Kaplan, president of the Oakland City Council, has called for hearing on impact fees to address the “emergency need to create housing at all income levels to sustain the city’s economic diversity and viability.”
Kaplan announced that the hearing and the report of the impact fees will be heard as an informational report on Nov. 12th at the Oakland City Council in the Community & Economic Development Committee in Hearing Room 1 at City Hall beginning at 1:30
Article Source Group News
Tiny Home Oasis Eyed For LA Desert and NYC Sept.18th, 2019
Having spent the last year and a half building this tiny home prototype, the Saat family believes that “the future of real estate is tiny homes on wheels.” Watch this video to learn about their plans to change a desert outside Los Angeles to a tiny-home oasis and build a 20-floor tiny-home tower in the heart of New York City.
City adopts 8-year housing plan Sept. 12th, 2019
Acknowledging that the plan comes in the face of a crisis in housing availability for working families on the Mendocino Coast, planning technician Sarah McCormick told council members that the Housing Element is a collection of policies, some of them state-mandated and others chosen through a series of council and Planning Commission meetings and public input sessions, that are meant to boost the city’s housing stock.
Tiny Homes as Second Units: allow people to park mobile residencies (residences built under the vehicle code) as a second unit, so long as the residence looks like a house. Also consider a ‘Tiny Home community.
Tiny Houses May Be On The Horizon Sept. 11th, 2019
The City of Action is looking into a Planning Grant Program for the possibility of Tiny Houses as an alternate option for affordable housing. Donna M. Kenney, Planning and Building Manager for the City of Riverbank, presented some information and answered questions from the city council at a recent meeting. The council directed Kenney to pursue the SB 2 grant that will help fund a consultant and review the city’s plans and projects to direct them in the best possible way.
California lawmakers move to reinstate, revamp local affordable housing program Sept. 11th, 2019
SACRAMENTO —
California lawmakers have approved a bid to renew a program that pumped hundreds of millions of dollars a year into affordable housing and economic development that had been eliminated during the state’s budget crisis eight years ago. But it’s uncertain if Gov. Gavin Newsom will sign off on the plan.
Senate Bill 5 by Sen. Jim Beall (D-San Jose) would effectively revive the state’s redevelopment system, which for decades allowed cities and counties to sequester a portion of local property tax revenue so that the money could be used on downtrodden neighborhoods.
Maybe Coronado will become a beacon of tiny houses Sept. 10th, 2019
On September 6, our region’s planning agency, SANDAG, held a hearing to give the public one last chance to rally for revisions to the draft 2021-2029 Regional Housing Needs Assessment plan. Speakers from several small cities showed up.
Article Source San Diego Reader
Take a look at San Jose’s first pre-approved backyard apartment design Sept. 10th, 2019
A 500-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment design from a company called Abodu has received the first pre-approval under San Jose’s new program to encourage the construction of auxiliary dwelling units, or backyard apartments, as part of a solution to the housing crisis.
Pre-approval is expected to cut the expense and time of the permitting process from months or weeks to days for homeowners who’d like to add an ADU for rental income or even living space for grown children or grandparents.
Case of Sherlock Homes solved in dramatic council meeting Sept. 5th, 2019
Puns abounded and tempers flared as the Windsor Town Council discussed the future of a seven house subdivision for Sherlock Homes.
Long-time Windsor residents Bob and Kay Sherlock brought the project forward in 2018 after the General Plan had been approved. The piece of land, located at 260 Arata Lane, has been owned by the Sherlocks for 40 years.
These historic apartments near the state Capitol just rented for $470 to $940 a month Sept 5th, 2019
It was a small victory on the affordable housing front. But a notable one nonetheless.On Wednesday, city of Sacramento and state officials gathered to fete the opening of the rehabilitated Bel Vue apartments, a previously vacant and decrepit 1909 landmark building on Eighth Street near L Street, two blocks from the state Capitol.The renovation adds 22 apartments to downtown’s still-small stable of housing for very low income workers. The units are already rented out at $470 to $941 a month, with a wait list.
Grover Beach considers application for grant to increase housing stock Sept 2nd, 2019
At the Sept. 3 meeting, council members considered a variety of policy changes and activities that could be funded by the grant: allowing residential projects by right, affordable housing density bonuses, an inclusionary housing ordinance, updates to the city’s accessory dwelling unit ordinance, the creation of a tiny-home ordinance, city-developed accessory dwelling unit prototype building plans, removing potential barriers to in-fill housing, an increased focus on affordable-by-design units, and providing incentives and concessions to housing development.
San Francisco Housing Advocate Proposes Tiny Home Village On Tenderloin Lot Sept 1st, 2019
As the Bay Area’s homelessness crisis deepens, a San Francisco housing advocate continues her big push for tiny homes. She’s proposed transforming a public parking lot into a “stewardship village.”
With Housing Element Passed, Staff Pushes Forward on Tiny Houses August 29th, 2019
The nonprofit Affordable Homeless Housing Alternatives, which has long lobbied for creative solutions to the county’s housing crisis, applauded the board’s vote to pass a plan that, in addition to tiny homes, also includes provisions for a sanctuary parking program and campground.
Road Home Redux August 28th, 2019
Against a backdrop of under-construction cottages and a corporate parking lot, Sonoma County Supervisor James Gore took the mic and announced that the project underway was a portent of things to come. The cottages, he declared, represented the first metaphoric sparks to kick off a wildfire of public-private housing build-outs in Sonoma County.
A Growing Number Of Groups Are Flipping The Bay Area’s Insane Housing Market On It’s Head August 25th, 2019
How did they do it? By relying on a lot of people, a new model for investment and some innovative partnerships. But in turning a novel concept for developing affordable properties into a reality, the East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative joined a growing number of organizations in the Bay Area challenging the status quo of the region’s skyrocketing housing costs.
Article Source The Mercury News
County Makes ‘Bold Choices’ to Address Affordability and Homelessness in Newly Adopted Housing Element August 20th, 2019
But there are also some “bold new approaches,” according to the county’s staff report. “For example,” it states, “the amendments propose to dramatically expand allowances for accessory dwelling units (formally known as second units), and to create new allowances for tiny homes, moveable tiny houses, and tiny house villages.”
Article Source Lost Coast Outpost
Placer County looking to update development standards August 9th, 2019
According to a staff report amending the development standards will increase the availability of a mix of housing types and reduce the shortage of skilled workers that has resulted as a lack of affordable housing.
Affordable Housing in NW Fresno? Candidates Respond August 7th, 2019
The factors that hold back housing construction throughout California are just as relevant in Fresno: community resistance (the old Not In My Back Yard syndrome), high construction and land costs, a community’s preference for lower-density housing, and strict environmental requirements.
The Californians forced to live in cars and RVs August 5th, 2019
Aid workers say the needs of RV dwellers are divergent. Many vehicle dwellers don’t consider themselves homeless, and therefore don’t know of the resources available.
Kanye West Erects Domes on Property for Proposed Housing Community August 1st, 2019
He’s already built dome structures on property in California in the hopes that he can address housing needs for the homeless and those with low incomes. And there are photos to prove it.
Governments alone can’t, and won’t, solve the homeless problem August 1st, 2019
Speaking of churches, The Grove Community Church built four “tiny homes” on its church campus in Riverside. It provides formerly homeless residents with living quarters, counseling and job training – all far less expensively than the same help offered by government. But remember, if government chips in so much as a dollar to a private effort, blammo, prevailing wage kicks in and the costs will go up precipitously.
Article Source The Press-Enterprise
24 Hours Inside San Francisco’s Homeless Project July 2019
San Francisco spends more than $300 million a year fighting homelessness. Yet it’s not working – at least not enough. Amid a housing shortage, rampant drug addiction and a failing mental health care system, the everyday crisis on our streets has intensified.
Article Source San Fransisco Chronicle
Key Housing Announces New Posts about Small Space Trends and San Diego Serviced Apartments July 31st, 2019
Many visitors to San Diego are only seeking temporary housing. They still request the normal amenities a smaller apartment unit can provide, that is so-called furnished or serviced apartments,” explained Robert Lee, President of Key Housing. “Tiny homes are helping to expand options in the housing market. Small, fully furnished apartments catering to short-term rental needs can benefit from this trend.”
San Francisco ditches fees for affordable housing and in-laws to speed up housing July 31st. 2019
San Francisco plans to give up nearly $2 million in projected fees on affordable housing projects and in-law construction over the next year, in hopes that cutting costs will encourage new housing development.
Article Source Curbed San Francisco
Tiny home in Oakland a perfect fit for grandmother July 31st, 2019
For 20 years, my great-great-grandmother lived in a single-wide trailer on my grandmother’s ranch, complete with its own patio and gnarled apricot tree out front.
Article Source San Francisco Chronicle
Family moves to Sacramento in converted school bus July 28th, 2019
The couple decided to convert the school bus into a home to help with medical school debt, and they said it was a risk worth taking.
More homeowners are tapping their equity to build accessory dwelling units July 24th, 2019
Is this an answer to the housing market’s growing affordability problem?
To solve space concerns, some homeowners are building accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, for extended family members, whether it be to accommodate their adult children or their aging parents.
Overland Park City Council candidates on the issues: More affordable housing options July 18th, 2019
Some affordable housing ideas: exploring tiny homes and zoning
- exploring tiny home builds
- zoning for small residences to allow for higher density housing residential builds and “pocket neighborhoods” that offer a wider range of housing options
Article Source shawnieemissionpost
New, development-friendly attitude at Vallejo City Hall July 15th, 2019
Also, an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit, or granny flat) ordinance was passed, resulting in increasing numbers of permits for those “increasing a range of housing types,” citywide. An ADU “tool kit” is now accessible online that takes you step-by-step through the process, they said.
Article Source Times Herald
Came Fire Survivor Moves Into Tiny Home July 14th, 2019
Pamela Lyons lost her home in the Camp Fire, but now has a new tiny house thanks to the non-profit organization “Tiny Homes for Camp Fire Survivors.”
Article Source Action News Now 12
Operation Tiny Home Partners With California Tiny House July 12, 2019
Our partners, California Tiny House have a non-profit called Tiny_edu where they host summer educational programs for high school teachers to learn the ins and outs of tiny home construction.
They just completed a two-week workshop for the 4th year in a row, and this time with the assistance from our tool distribution program through the support of Milwaukee Tool North America!Now, these teachers will be bringing back what they learned over the summer to empower their classrooms to start a tiny house project of their own.
Article Source Operation Tiny Home Facebook
Multi generational housing is the biggest home buying trend- and more millennials are opting for it July 12th, 2019
Turns out that extended family living has never gone away. It’s just constantly shape-shifting.
Tiny homes and floating apartments: California mayor’s reply to the growing homeless problem July 8th, 2019
As the homeless population soars in California, city mayors are contemplating a variety of initiatives to combat the problem.
California’s homelessness crisis is spiraling out of control. These mayors want to solve it with tiny homes, trailers, and floating apartments. June 22, 2019
California cities like Los Angeles, Stockton, and San Jose and have seen their homeless populations skyrocket in recent years.
Article Source Business Insider
Tiny House, Big Price: California Homes For Sale June 30th, 2019
Whether on a hillside in the Wine Country or beachside in SoCal, these tiny homes pack a big punch.
10 Most Unique Tiny Homes You Can Vacation In July 5th, 2019
n a world of excess, more and more people are turning to minimalist living: fewer belongings, fewer expenses, and smaller homes. As such, tiny homes are becoming increasingly popular, and there are so many wonderfully unique tiny homes that are being built.
Tiny homes or tents? Turlock looks at solutions to growing homeless population July 3th, 2019
In a public forum Wednesday in Turlock City Hall, the public was invited to share their ideas on what to do with the estimated 250 people who are homeless.
Oroville is the center of one woman’s mission to help Camp Fire survivor July 8th, 2019
The mother of three, working nights and weekends at a nursing home, found time to commit herself to almost 40 hours a week and set a goal of building 10 tiny homes.
With laws changing, tiny homes may have a big effect on housing April 13th, 2016
The first change, in Fresno, California, gives tiny houses something they badly needed: a formal definition under the law. In November, 2015, the Fresno City Council put tiny houses on wheels into the building code, a first for a large American city.
Article Source Richmond Confidential