Manteca Bulletin: Making way for granny flats

Your backyard could hold the key to you keeping your home, generating extra income, or allowing you to retire with more financial security while helping ease the growing housing shortage. The Manteca City Council last month blessed proposed staff modifications to municipal rules to comply with state law changes passed last year that reduces the fee costs of building an accessory dwelling units (ADU) that many dub granny flats on their property. But what staff didn’t bring up for the council’s consideration was another state law that also went into effect in January 2017 that allows local governments the flexibility of permitting junior accessory dwelling units (JADU). Under state law a JADU cannot exceed 500 square feet and must be contained completely within the space of an existing residential structure. For all practical purposes it involves garage conversions that meet code and have their own separate entrance.