PD&R Edge Home: Making ADU Development Equitable in California

Persistent housing shortages in California and the resulting high housing costs prompted state lawmakers, starting in 2016, to pass a series of laws legalizing and facilitating the construction of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in the state. Thanks to this more hospitable legal and financial landscape, ADU permitting and construction has expanded rapidly in California in recent years. However, a recent report from researchers at the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at the University of California Berkeley reveals barriers to racial and economic equity in ADU production. On August 26, 2022, the Terner Center, along with the Casita Coalition, which promotes small house development in California, hosted a webinar to discuss the report’s findings.