In the urban areas, a typical lot size is 125' x 25' that has a single-family house with two levels already built on it. Usually, there is a garage at the lower level and no ADU. The size of the house footprint varies but for this example, we're showing a 50' x 25' footprint house on this lot.

Scenario 1

Lot Split & Duplex/lot

2 lots & 4 units

This is one of the most exciting scenarios allowed under SB-9. You could transform one property with one unit into 2 properties with four units total. As exciting as it could be, it requires significant funding.

In this scenario, the lot is split 60/40 into 1,700 sq ft and 1,300 sq ft lots. The access to the rear building is granted through a 5' wide easement. Each lot could be built as a duplex with a size range from 800 sq ft to 1,000 sq ft. These sizes are generic, but you can find out more accurate dimensions Also, it's important to understand the scale of the costs for building duplexes on your property.

Now, what you could do with the new units developed under SB-9? You could rent them for the long term (more than 30 days) or sell at least 3 of them. For the 4th unit, you have to keep it as a Primary Residence for another 3 years. The question is, does the City have any recourse if you don't follow this requirement?

Scenario 2

Duplex + ADU

1 lot & 2 units & 1 detached ADU

This is a more accessible scenario allowed under SB-9. In this scenario, you keep the lot as it is, add one unit to the existing house, and build a detached ADU in the rear yard.

In this scenario, the primary structure expands vertically with one more floor to accommodate two units on a 1,125 sq ft footprint building. Following the 4' setbacks from property lines and a 35' courtyard between buildings, you could have as large as 442 sq ft footprint on two levels. That's a large enough ADU for a two-bedroom and one-bath unit.

Scenario 3

Duplex + ADU

1 lot & 2 units & 1 attached ADU

This is the most accessible scenario allowed under SB-9. If you have an existing garage, you can transform it into an ADU and add one more regular unit to the existing house. The challenge in this scenario is that you'd have to make interior changes to the existing unit in order to create an access path to the second regular unit.

In this scenario, you'd have a vertical addition for the second unit of approx. 1,100 sq ft or a two-bedroom and two-bathroom unit. If this is a scenario more appropriate for you, the Development Analysis for your property can give you the dimensions for such expansion and rough estimates of the costs for this type of project.

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Scenario 4

Lot Split with One-unit/lot and Duplex/lot

2 lots & 3 units

This scenario looks at splitting the lot and building a new duplex building. This is also a financially intensive project but it's more manageable if someone lives in the existing single-family house. In this scenario, the lot is split 50/50 but allows a 5' wide easement for egress purposes. They can give you the dimensions and a rough estimate of the costs for this type of project.

An SB-9 Analysis helps you understand cost and ROI to choose the best option.

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Homeowners start with a Feasibility Study

Feasibility studies help you figure out if a project SB9 is the right thing to do to reach your goals. This is what you need to do before paying a lot of money and wasting time:

1. Check if your property is located in one of the qualified zones.
2. Understand the type of development you could build on your property considering your lot size and the existing building(s). Being allowed to build per zoning and having enough room to add building area on your lot, are two different things. This needs to be calculated;
3. Choose the location of the new building(s) for each development option;
4. Check if the calculated size of the new building(s) is enough for you to:
   • get the ROI from renting or selling it
   • host family and friends
   • afford to build
   • give you the market value to cover the construction costs

Once you have all these figured out, it's time to look for a team to help you complete the project. Going through these 5 Steps before deciding to move on with your project will help you have a focused conversation with an architect, contractor, or lender. Choosing a realistic path will make you and your team have a positive experience going through this project.

SB-9 Analysis provides cost and market value insights for positive returns on your project.

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