An accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, is a unit with a full kitchen and bathroom that is accessory to residential. Also called a granny flat or second unit, it can be on a property with a home or apartment building. It can also be detached or attached. ADUs usually cost less than building a new home and homeowners can offer them as rental housing. They also provide living space for family members or caregivers on the same property. A junior ADU, or JADU, is like an ADU but its maximum size is 500 square feet. The JADU also has to be within the main home and have its own exterior access.
Examples
AdU ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
The Board of Supervisors will consider an amendment to the County’s ADU Ordinance in October 2024. The proposed changes to the ADU Ordinance update local standards and ensure that the County’s ADU regulations comply with State law. Please visit the ADU Ordinance Amendment page for more information and to view the draft ordinance.
Standard ADU Plans Program
This program makes pre-approved ADU plans available to the public. The goal is to speed up the County review and approval process, and help guide homeowners who may not know where to start. The Standard ADU Plans Program includes the following options:
County Catalog
These are plans that have been pre-approved by LA County Planning and Public Works Building & Safety. They are free to the public.
Private Designer Catalog
Professional architects and designers created plans with different ADU types, styles, and sizes, to be pre-approved by LA County Planning and Public Works Building & Safety. We are reviewing several different standard plans. Once pre-approved, these plans will be made available in this catalog. Homeowners will first select an ADU Plan, then work directly with the architect/designer to buy, complete, and submit the plans for County review and approval.
If you have any questions, please contact the Operations and Major Projects Section at omp@planning.lacounty.gov.
