AB 956: Accessory dwelling units: ministerial approval: single-family dwellings.

Session Year: 2025-2026
House: Assembly

Current Status:

In Progress

(2025-06-24: In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.)

Introduced

First Committee Review

First Chamber

Second Committee Review

Second Chamber

Enacted

Version:

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, provided for the creation by local ordinance, or by ministerial approval if a local agency has not adopted an ordinance, of accessory dwelling units in areas zoned for single-family or multifamily dwelling residential use in accordance with specified standards and conditions. Existing law requires a local agency to ministerially approve building permit applications within a residential or mixed-use zone to create, among others, one detached, new construction, accessory dwelling unit that does not exceed 4-foot side and rear yard setbacks for a lot with a proposed or existing single-family dwelling, as specified.

This bill would increase the number of detached, new construction, accessory dwelling units that a local agency is required to ministerially approve on lots with a proposed or existing single-family dwelling, as described above, to 2. By imposing new duties on local governments with respect to the approval of accessory dwelling units, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Existing law establishes the intent of the Legislature to revamp the existing regional housing need allocation process to accomplish specified objectives, including creating a fair, transparent, and objective process for identifying housing needs across the state. Existing law requires the Department of Housing and Community Development, in collaboration with the Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation and after engaging in stakeholder participation, to develop a recommended improved regional housing need allocation process and methodology that promotes and streamlines housing development and substantially addresses Californias housing shortage.This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to those provisions.

Discussed in Hearing