License: No. #1076712
Multifamily properties in the City of Los Angeles must abide by state requirements for the number of ADUs on multifamily property. Specifically, you may build:
In the City of Los Angeles the maximum size your detached ADU can be is 1,200 square feet.
In the City of Los Angeles the maximum size your attached ADU can be is 1,200 square feet, or 50% of the size of the main dwelling unit, whichever number is smaller.
An ADU can be up to 1,200 sq ft, which is the maximum footprint of a one-story ADU. Two-story ADUs are still limited to 1,200 sq ft, so for a two-story ADU, the building footprint will necessarily be smaller.
The State of California limits ADU footprints to 800 sq ft, but cities, such as Los Angeles, reserve the right to allow larger footprints.
In the City of Los Angeles, converting existing structures into ADUs carries no height restriction.
The height of new-construction ADUs must be less than 16 feet, although, in certain locations, new-construction or partially new-construction designs may include an ADU as tall as 25 feet.
For multifamily properties where the existing structure is at least two stories high or if the property is located within a ½ mile walk of a public transit stop or station, an ADU can be up to 18 feet high.
Yes, two-story ADUs are allowed in the City of Los Angeles. However, height restrictions still apply. If your property is restricted to a 16-foot ADU, creating a comfortable design will be a challenge. Building a two-story ADU makes much more sense for properties with 25-foot height restrictions on ADUs.
The City of Los Angeles only allows one detached ADU per single-family residence. As such, you cannot create a “stacked” detached ADU – that is, a two-story structure with a separate ADU on each floor. Height requirements make this difficult on many properties as well.
Stacked ADUs may be approved on multifamily lots that allow two detached ADU units, but again, height limits apply and may be prohibitive.
The City of Los Angeles only allows one detached ADU per single-family residence. As such, you cannot create two ADUs attached to each other on a single-family lot. However, you can build an ADU and a JADU on the same lot as long as they are not attached to each other.
Multifamily property can have up to two detached ADUs, and plans for two attached ADU units within one structure may be approved if it meets other criteria.
No, a JADU is defined as an ADU converted from existing space within the main structure of the primary dwelling unit. As such, it cannot be attached to an ADU. However, you can build an ADU and a JADU on the same lot, as long as they are not attached to each other.
Generally, roof decks would be permitted, but they must meet the height restrictions for the zone and cannot encroach into the required setbacks. Generally, railings and access staircases above 42″ need to be included in height calculations.
Los Angeles does not mention specific requirements for the exterior of the ADU. However, general guidance is that the exterior roofing, trim, walls, windows, and color palette of the ADU shall incorporate the same features as the primary dwelling unit (similar to garage conversion).
The City of Los Angeles has recently streamlined its plan-check process. Instead of the plans having to be sent one at a time to each department for clearance, LADBS reviews each plan report and consolidates all the needed changes early in the process. The process consists of:
The average turnaround time from submission to approval is 4-6 months, though it can be as little as two months if there are no complications. For complicated plans (coastal development zones, historical zones, etc.), it can take as long as a year or more.
LADBS may periodically send inspectors to check the project’s progress and verify that it is being constructed according to plan.
The parking requirements for a residential property with an ADU is one additional space per ADU. No additional parking is required for a JADU, nor is it required when the ADU is part of an existing or proposed primary dwelling unit or other structure within the property.
Properties located within ½ mile of walking distance from a public transit stop or station may be exempt from parking requirements. So, too, are properties in historic districts and properties within one block of a designated car-share pickup location.
If a garage or carport is replaced with an ADU, property owners are not required to replace those off-street parking spaces.
If a parking space is required, it may be located within the setbacks and in an existing driveway as tandem parking. Parking spaces don’t need to be replaced when a garage, carport, or covered parking structure is demolished in conjunction with the ADU construction or converted to an ADU.
You are allowed to Airbnb your ADU plans or rent it out as a short-term rental if the primary residence is owner-occupied. However, if you rent your ADU for shorter than 30 days at a time, you may be required to register for a home-sharing permit from the City of Los Angeles and pay a fee.
If the main dwelling unit was built prior to October 1, 1978, or if the main dwelling unit was constructed after July 15, 2007 to replace a demolished housing unit built prior to October 1, 1978, the City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO) may apply to the ADU, imposing rent control and eviction standards on the landlord.
If the ADU is fully detached, the RSO may not apply unless the new ADU is built as a replacement for a demolished RSO housing unit, in which case the RSO rules do apply.
If an ADU or JADU is established fully within an RSO unit’s existing structure, all RSO provisions apply.
If a new-construction ADU is built attached to an RSO main dwelling unit, some of the provisions of the RSO may apply. The Costa Hawkins Act allows landlords to set initial and subsequent rental rates for residential property issued its Certificate of Occupancy after February 1, 1995. As such, the rent-control provisions of the RSO may not apply, but all other provisions will.
The ban on gas appliances in new builds requires that new-construction ADUs use electricity as their fuel; gas appliances are not permitted. ADUs fully adapted from existing living spaces with gas utilities may be permitted for gas appliances.
You are not required to put fire sprinklers in your ADU if the main dwelling unit is not required by law to have fire sprinklers.
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