San Mateo County Second Unit Center
This is the project that launched all of our work on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), back in 2016 when they were still typically called Second Units. The goal of this county-wide, collaborative project was to promote ADUs as a viable form of affordable housing. This work included:
Developing print and online materials to inspire and support homeowners to build an ADU
Providing technical assistance on new ADU laws
Facilitating stakeholder meetings and focus groups
Working with cities to identify and reduce friction permit application and approval process
Designing an Amnesty Program
We conducted outreach, including facilitating four focus groups, interviewing scores of stakeholders, and conducting an online survey backed by a Google AdWords Campaign. Based on this research we developed a variety of material to promote more ADUs, including a homeowner workbook, inspiration book, website, calculator, and amnesty program.
The 90-page Second Unit Workbook provides homeowners with a step-by-step process on how to build an ADU, including exercises and resources. The accompanying Second Unit Inspiration book spotlights local stories of homeowners who built an ADU, including photos and floorplans. We also launched a website that includes helpful information for homeowners, videos of the homeowners and ADUs featured in the Second Unit Inspiration, and an ADU Calculator that allows homeowners to estimate fees, costs and rents. We also provided technical assistance on new ADU laws, worked with cities to reduce streamline approval processes, developed an amnesty program, and helped with outreach, such as hosting a 150-person meeting convening in 2018 and a 400-person fair in 2019.
In recognition of this innovative set of tools, we received the American Planning Association (APA) California award for best practices in 2019.