Oakland ADUs Experts
The Perfect City For Accessory Dwelling Units
As Oakland’s accessory dwelling unit experts, being based in Oakland provides us with the hometown knowledge and relationships that enable us to navigate the City of Oakland’s approval processes with ease.
We design accessory dwelling units (also known as granny flats or in-law units), for both single and multi-family properties in keeping with the City of Oakland’s requirements for streamlined approval, and can help whether your goal is a conversion or a new ground-up unit.
New ground-up accessory dwelling units can take the form of attached ADUs or detached ADUs. Conversion ADUs include junior ADUs (up to 500 square feet and converted from existing space of a single-family home), garage conversions, basement units, and more challenging conversions.
Whatever the approach, accessory dwelling units support the City of Oakland’s goal to expand affordable housing. An Oakland ADU can also provide much-needed rental income, increase property value, and provide opportunities for aging in place for older generations who seek an inspired independence but in a separately accessed dwelling on the same lot and same property as other family members. Aging in place is especially relevant in a culturally diverse area like Oakland.
Single Family Properties Vs. Multi-Family
Each single family home is allowed to build at least one accessory dwelling unit. A single family property that is owner occupied, however, may build two accessory dwelling units as long as one junior ADU is involved.
Multi-family properties are allowed one conversion ADU per every four existing residential units (assuming the units have been established legally). In addition, Oakland allows for up to two detached ADUs on multifamily lots, as long as there is enough space. Just a few years ago, building even one ADU on multi-family residential parcels was not possible. Thanks to Oakland’s new rules, there are now multiple options.
Optimize Your Property Value
Accessory dwelling units are an ideal way of optimizing the existing space of a property. In urban, densely populated cities like Oakland, space will be a determining factor when deciding what type of Oakland ADU to build. Attached accessory dwelling units in which the unit is literally attached to the primary residence can make a significant difference in the size of the unit.
An actual example of an attached ADU will help illustrate where size has come into play in a major way. An ADU project in Oakland’s Rockridge District could have been as small as 400 square feet due to a small backyard in which to build a detached ADU. Because of the decision to build an attached ADU, the unit is a noticeably larger 744 square feet – almost double the square footage.
In the Rockridge example, the design has taken the sound transmission that the primary dwelling unit may be concerned with, as well as fire safety mitigation, into consideration. What could be a downside of the loss of windows on the attached wall has been overcome with the addition of skylights, as light is critical when there are little to no setbacks from the primary structure, as there are with detached ADUs.
An example of an Oakland ADU in the Rockridge neighborhood that represents an attached dwelling unit.
Exterior entrance of the Rockridge dwelling unit shown above
Dwelling Unit Know-How
At Adapt Dwellings, every project begins with an Adapt Feasibility study where we guide you through the project every step of the way, from design, to City of Oakland approvals, to estimated costs. Our attention to detail takes into consideration every single aspect of the project, such as the water or sewer system, whether there is an existing garden you want to preserve, the need for a new or separate utility connection (and any connection fee), any necessary parking requirements, the number of ADUs allowed for your specific project, owner occupancy requirements, zero threshold transitions for noise abatement with existing units, and minimum fire marshal requirements and fire sprinklers that address fire safety, just to name a few.
Building an Oakland ADU is not an easy project to do on your own, but with the right team by your side, it does not have to be complicated. When we take on your project, you can be assured that our extensive experience in this relatively new world of ADUs translates into building the right accessory dwelling unit for you.
