The rise of the Tiny House lifestyle combines minimalism, drastically lowered housing costs, and quality over quantity when it comes to living spaces.
US single family houses continue to get bigger and costlier. California communities seeking to house more people, and people looking for new housing options, have converged in new regulations in recent years. Clearer state-wide ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) definitions, and a new category called a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit (JADU), have both inspired homeowners to learn more.
Considering building, or living in, either one? It’s important to understand the differences between JADUs and ADUs, their comparisons to tiny houses, and what might be best for you.
What is a JADU?
According to the US Census Bureau, as of 2021, one in three young (18-34 year old) adults lived in their parent’s home. For most European countries, numbers go much higher. If you’re in California and want to remodel a part of your house for your young adult, aging parents, or to bring in rental income, you might consider a JADU.
JADUs must be created inside the walls of your current house, including any attached garage. Think basement, attic, den, or main-floor master bedroom. They require a separate entrance to the outside of the house, a kitchenette, and access to a bathroom. Size may range from 150 to 500 square feet.
A deed restriction placed on the house means the owner must occupy either the main house or the JADU in order to rent either out. Rentals must last at least 30 days.
JADU vs ADU – Key Details to Understand
How ADUs differ from JADUs
If you’re thinking of renting an ADU in California, whether attached or detached from a main home, you’ll experience more of a separate living situation than in a JADU. If the JADU feels more like a roommate situation, those living in an ADU would be full-fledged tenants.
If you’re building an ADU, consider current and future users of the space in your design process. Even if you want it currently to function as an office space or a guest house, you or a future home buyer might choose to rent it at some point.
ADUs, depending on the size of the main home, can be as large as 1200 square feet. They require a separate kitchen and bathroom, and have no entrance to the interior of the main house. Like JADUs, they can be rented, again for 30-days or more at a time.
Some may be built onto a house, others built as a stand-alone space on the lot. Conversion of existing structures, such as a detached garage, barn, shed, or other accessory structure, can also fit into the ADU guidelines. While CA state law doesn’t allow for minimum lot size requirements, check for lot line setback details in state and local zoning requirements.
JADU vs ADU – Pros and Cons
JADU Pros
- House Affordability: JADUs are a cost-effective way to increase living space without the expense of building a completely independent house. They share walls and utilities with the main house, reducing construction costs.
- Passive Income: Like ADUs, JADUs can be rented out for long-term contracts, providing a source of passive income for homeowners.
- Multi-Generational Living: JADUs promote multi-generational living by offering a separate but connected living space. Children can move into JADUs with minimal cost, and older family members can live nearby.
- Increase in Property Value: JADUs, by adding livable space and amenities to the property, can increase the overall property value.
JADU Cons
- Owner Occupancy: JADUs require an owner occupancy deed restriction, meaning you can only rent out your JADU if you live in the main house as your primary residence. This limits rental options.
- Size Limit: JADUs are limited to 500 square feet and must be created from existing space within the home. You cannot build additions to increase space, which may not meet all homeowners’ needs.
- Parking Replacement: If you convert your garage into a JADU, you may need to replace parking, which can be a deterrent for some applicants.
- Single-Family Only: JADUs can only be built within single-family homes, so owners of multifamily properties must choose ADUs instead.
ADU Pros
- Increased Property Value: ADUs can significantly increase property value, making homes more attractive to potential buyers and offering additional living space or rental income opportunities.
- Rental Income Potential: ADUs can generate rental income, helping offset mortgage payments and providing financial flexibility.
- Affordability: ADUs are typically more affordable to build than traditional housing options, making them a cost-effective way to increase earning potential.
- Meeting Housing Demands: ADUs address the increasing demand for affordable housing, benefiting homeowners and the community.
ADU Cons
- Complex Approval Process: The approval process for ADUs can be challenging, involving complex regulations, paperwork, and permitting fees. Zoning laws also vary, adding complexity.
- Insurance Requirements: ADUs may have specific insurance requirements depending on location and zoning laws.
- Sacrificing Space: Building an ADU may require sacrificing storage space or reconfiguring existing areas in the main house or property.
The role of JADUs and ADUs in accommodating the Tiny House lifestyle
Differences in local and state zoning laws means that finding space to put either a foundation-built tiny house, or a tiny house on wheels, often presents a challenge. California’s clearer legal requirements, starting in 2019, boosted constructed ADUs by almost 200% from 2019 to 2022.
Los Angeles became the first city in California to add tiny houses on wheels, which it designates as Moveable Tiny Houses, to its definition of an ADU. Separate rules apply to them, however, such as smaller square footage – 150-430 – and other details, so study up on LA’s guidelines. More cities continue to follow suit.
Designated differences between Moveable Tiny Houses and RVs, such as specific details on windows and roofs and the lack of an engine, helped to better define the tiny house lifestyle. They also paved the way to allow year-round living.
While tiny houses, strictly speaking, max out at 500 square feet, both JADUs and ADUs offer smaller-than-standard housing options. They support the tiny house lifestyle by serving as a rental entree. As homeowners take advantage of their lots to add more housing, it normalizes the idea of downsizing and living smaller.
The Synergy Between ADUs and Tiny Homes
While tiny homes may bring to mind a rural lifestyle, with a small home perched on the edge of a forest or near mountains, this may sometimes be out of necessity rather than preference.
Towns and cities hold jobs, community, and greater quantities of resources like grocery stores and schools. True, remote careers and online shopping allow for a richer lifestyle anywhere decent internet can be gotten. But you may not want this tradeoff to be forced upon you.
When more homeowners add JADUs and ADUs to their properties, otherwise established neighborhoods get new energy and become accessible to more people. When Moveable Tiny Houses, aka THOW, get added to the mix, a homeowner could conceivably offer the opportunity to purchase the house separately, something not available with JADUs and ADUs.
If you’re a California homeowner, you can both build a detached ADU and remodel existing space for a JADU. While your specific situation may or may not make this a good idea, expanding the definition of home seems important in this time of shortages in the most expensive areas of the country.
What if You Don’t Live in California?
Washington state offers JADUs, though local law differs more widely than in California. There, a JADU doesn’t require either a separate bath or kitchen. Homeowners with sufficiently sized lots can also build up to two 1200-square-foot ADUs. And short-term rentals may be allowed.
According to Governing.com, “Among the eight states that broadly allow ADUs (California, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont and Washington), the relevant laws vary widely,” and California has gone the farthest to date.
But even in New Hampshire, with weaker laws, ADU construction has surged. “Many ADUs in New Hampshire are built when an elderly person sells their property and uses the proceeds to build the unit at their adult child’s house.”
Other Posts from Jennifer Cooper
- Interview Part 1 Interior Designer Lets us Peek into Tiny Home
- Interview Part 2 Tiny Home Office & Other Uses
- How to Field Tiny House Questions
- 5 Ways to Live With Intention
- 8 Relationship Tips: How to Live in a Tiny House Together
- Raising a Family in a Tiny House
- Preparing to Move Into a Tiny House
