The New Avenue blog
More than decade of content on the things we love: your home
An end to unfair housing policy in Berkeley?
Berkeley just proposed putting an end to single family-housing, and it's national news. The Elmwood neighborhood was among the first in the US to zone against multifamily housing. Single-family zoning became the backbone of exclusionary, unsustainable, segregated housing. Last week, Berkeley’s city council voted unanimously for a resolution to end exclusionary housing.
Permits denied…and then approved.
Here’s how we helped our clients turn “no” into a “go.” When Principal Designer Amy Guiang contacted the City of Oakland, she was expecting a “yes” but got a “no.”…
Setback and Egress FAQs: Converting a detached garage to an ADU in Berkeley
This applies specifically to garage-to-ADU conversions in Berkeley, but most cities in the US will have similar rules. Read on if you’re considering turning your detached garage or shed into an accessory dwelling…
What Experienced ADU Designers in California Know that Most Homeowners Don’t
The best ADU designers know where to find each city’s specific requirements. Experienced accessory dwelling designers have been through the permitting process many times, and they know which questions to ask at the city office. They’re also experts in state law.
How AB 68 Affects ADUs in California
Here is the full text of Assembly Bill 68 (AB68), which was signed into law in October 2019. We’ve highlighted the parts that are really important to you as a homeowner. And we’ve added commentary.
We just saved a client $20,000. (Sometimes city officials don’t know state law.)
Often, the city can’t keep up with changing state laws (which is, frankly, almost impossible). We pointed out a new law. As a result, the city building department agreed not to create $20,000+ in work.
Permit costs to build a duplex, triplex, or ADU
Adding an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) to your home? Here’s what the permits will cost (and how long they might take to receive)…
Permit costs and time required to build a duplex, triplex, or accessory dwelling
We get calls every week from people who want to turn a single-family home into a duplex, convert a garage to turn a duplex into a triplex, or add an accessory dwelling unit to their property. Inevitably, these clients want to know about the permit process and costs for adding to their existing structures…
EXPLORE MORE TAGS
Schedule a free Assessment.
First step:
There’s no commitment, no pressure, no obligation.