Housing isn’t always the easiest to find on the Central Coast. The City of Grover Beach is looking to increase affordable housing by making accessory dwelling units or ADUs easier to build.
Jeff Hawley’s son was one of those who couldn't find a home. It prompted jeff to build this separate living unit seven years ago.
“We have all that property sitting there for years. Let's just build some. so, we just took out the loan and built it and gave him a place to live," said Hawley.
Now the City of Grover Beach in partnership with the cities of Morro Bay, Arroyo Grande, and Atascadero is looking to make the construction of ADUs much easier for homeowners.
“It provides for independent laundry facilities, and cooking facilities and can be anywhere from a studio to a two-bedroom unit," said Grover Beach Community Development director, Megan Martin.
The additional living space can be attached or dettached from the main home and used for family, friends, or as long-term rentals.
“I think it's good it's a good thing to do for the city and gives affordable housing if someone doesn't jack up the rent," added Hawley.
It’s following a big push from the state of California to come up with more affordable housing.
“Each site is unique and will require its own level of review, but what this process does and what we've done with this program is to take the guesswork out of the design of the units," explained Martin.
The City of Grover Beach has taken it a step further by providing pre-designed ADU plans.
“Six-floor plans that applicants can choose from, ranging from about 314 square feet that's a studio unit to about 1000 square feet as a two-bedroom unit. And we also have four different architectural styles to choose from," added Martin.
To find out more about policies and requirements for ADUs - you can visit your city’s website. For the City of Grover Beach, you can contact the community development department at comdev@groverbeach.org or 805-473-4520.
