What is a Junior ADU?
Junior ADUs (JADUs) offer an option to add another unit (in addition to an ADU) within your existing home. JADUs must be contained within an existing or proposed single family home (think garage or spare bedroom), under 500sqft (you can add on up to 150 sqft to get to 500), and have a full bathroom and efficiency kitchen (appliances + cabinets).
What about Tiny Homes as ADUs?
Tiny homes have recently been classified as a type of ADU in San Diego – you can have a detached tiny home (150-430 sqft in size, licensed by the DMV) as your ADU in your back yard. Note that this is not in addition to having an ADU; the tiny home is classified as the ADU. Tiny Homes must be connected to all utilities and sit on a concrete pad, which means the all-in costs of using a tiny home for your ADU often end up looking very similar to a permanent ADU.
What are Guest Living Quarters?
ADUs are also sometimes called guest houses, though there is a technical definition of “guest living quarters,” which are different than ADUs. Guest Living Quarters are only for use by those employed on the premises or for temporary use by guests and may not be rented out. Guest Living Quarters may not have kitchens or laundry facilities. In some municipalities, guest living quarters can co-exist with an ADU, but the County of San Diego only allows an ADU or a guest living quarters.
Where can you construct or convert ADUs?
ADUs can take many different forms, either within or attached to your existing residence, or as standalone structures.