ADU SLO & Tiny House Consulting: ADUs, Garage Conversions and more

Looking to create a separate living space in your home or backyard for rental income or family flexibility? You have options! ADU SLO is a new program to help you understand them and get started. 

New video in our ADU 101 series! This one covers the basic questions about ADUs that most folks have--beginning with ''what is an ADU, anyway?' Check it out and then head over to our YouTube channel to view more.

Seeking Homeowners with Garages for New Program

If you live in SLO County and have an attached or detached garage that you're interested in converting to a self-contained living space, you may qualify for our new program. Financing available.

Do you have a garage or other underused area you've thought about converting into a living space? We can help! ADUs are a great way to bring in income and provide future flexibility while helping your community with its housing needs. 

Look for links below to help with:

 Feasibility report

Planning & design

Permits

Construction

Tenant screening

Rental agreements

New! Financing of your ADU project through CoastHills Credit Union is now available to qualified homeowners through a special partnership with Smart Share. If you're working through our ADU SLO program to construct a new ADU or convert an existing space, their home equity loan could be a great fit to get your project up and running. More details coming soon!

What is an 'accessory dwelling unit' or ADU?

  • A smaller, additional living space on the same lot as a primary residence
  • Sometimes called a granny flat, casita, backyard cottage
  • Includes garage conversions, apartments above garages, private attached suites, attics, basements, fully detached backyard homes


Why do people build ADUs or JADUs?

  • To be part of the housing solution by creating a safe, affordable home for a community member
  • For income from a long term rental
  • To house a caregiver in a separate space but nearby
  • For flexible housing for family members
  • To downsize into and rent your larger space out


Types of Accessory Dwelling Units

JADU--Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit--Attached private living space

JADUs (Junior Accessory Dwelling Units) are created in existing space in the home such as an extra bedroom, attached garage, basement, attic or space over garage. They are usually the least expensive, least complicated option for adding a housing unit. If you have a bedroom with a slider or french door to the outside, you're most of the way there. Just add a mini-fridge, microwave, some counter and cabinet space to meet the bare minimum in most jurisdictions. Owner occupancy of either the main home or the JADU is required in SLO county. 

ADU--Accessory Dwelling Unit--Detached private living space

New rules in California allow smaller, backyard homes to be built on most single family lots for personal use or as long-term rentals. Converting detached garages can help jumpstart the process, or design it from the ground up to meet your needs and fit in your yard space. Homeowners in SLO City also  have the option of adding a utility hookup and pad for a tiny home on wheels. Interested in resources to learn more about how this could work for you? Contact us by completing the form below. 

JADUs, or Junior Accessory Dwelling Units, are separate living spaces created in an existing part of your home, such as an extra bedroom, attached garage, bonus room, attic, basement, or room over the garage. JADUs are the least expensive, fastest option. At minimum, they include a separate entrance and an efficiency kitchen.

Tiny homes on wheels are legal in SLO city backyards now and other cities in our county are considering allowing them as a type of accessory dwelling unit. Permits only needed for the utility hookups. THOWs (tiny homes on wheels) can be from 120-400 sq ft, not including lofts.

Garage conversions can be created in an attached or detached garage. This can be a great option for creating a private housing unit on your lot and can save time and money compared to starting from scratch with a foundation-built ADU.

805-215-5474     info@smartsharehousingsolutions.org

Sample casita photos courtesy of buildinganadu.com