Guests coming in two weeks? San Jose, in California’s Silicon Valley, has an idea for where to put them.
In 2017, the state of California passed several laws that gave cities more flexibility for allowing homeowners to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs). Most recently, at the beginning of this year, the state approved legislation that gave homeowners with ADUs constructed without a permit the ability to be inspected and approved under the standards that were in place the year the structure was built.
Now, Abodu, a “backyard builder,” is launching this month promising to build a well-designed and city-approved home in backyards within two weeks of being ordered.
The company is San Jose’s first pre-approved builder for the city’s new Accessory Dwelling Units/Single-Family Master Plan program. The city allows approved ADU vendors to use the city’s fastest, lowest-cost plan-review service and offer their customers pre-approved options.
With the rising housing cost in the bay area, it is little wonder the city is making strides to made accessory dwelling units more accessible. The structures allow more people to live in one spot without having to pay for additional land. You may have heard them referred to as granny flats, in-law units or backyard cottages.
“We won’t solve our housing crisis $650,000 at a time — we have to bend the cost curve in order to build more housing,” San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said in a press release. “We’re grateful for Abodu’s partnership in offering residents pre-approved ‘backyard homes’ — which will help add critically-needed affordable housing to our city’s housing stock. I encourage others to follow their lead.”
Having gained this pre-approval status, Abodu said one of its units can be installed in a backyard in as little as two weeks.
“Abodu is proud to enter the Bay Area market and provide a new, cost-effective alternative for those seeking more space or looking to monetize their backyard via rental income,” said John Geary, co-founder at Abodu. “Whether a buyer is installing an Abodu backyard home for a family member or as an additional source of income, this is a great and easy way to increase the value and functionality of a home.”
