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.
12
ADUs
Recent Stories
-
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.
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.
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.
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 to remove entire apartment buildings from the long-term rental market by converting them into illegal hotels. In Berkeley alone, 400 rent-controlled units are being used only as short-term rentals. As a result, tenants who otherwise would have been able to live long-term in these units have been displaced, worsening Berkeley’s housing emergency.
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.
Officials to relax rules for Berkeley ‘granny flats’
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.
Op-ed: Berkeley should ease parking rules for in-law units
As we know, our population is aging and more people are confronting the need to plan for appropriate living arrangements. An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), either for a caretaker’s apartment or as a downsizing option, is becoming increasingly popular. The concept is not new. Commonly known as “in-law” units, these small dwelling spaces exist in a variety of forms, from basement or attic apartments to independent structures.
