California Senate Bill 9 (SB9) gives homeowners in urban single-family neighborhoods the right to subdivide their lot and either build additional housing units on each parcel or build additional units on one lot and sell the other.  Many types of housing are allowed, including single-family homes, duplexes, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

Supporters of the new law believe it will increase the housing supply and diversify the types of housing available.

Primary requirements for SB 9 eligibility are that the property must be located within an urban area and a single-family residential zone.

There are also several factors that make properties ineligible, such as being in a very high fire severity zone, earthquake fault zone or flood hazard area.

Other things to know:

• Only residential units may be built.
• SB 9 subdivision provision requires that the owner occupy one  of the two lots as their primary residence for at least three  years following the lot split.
• SB 9 units may NOT be used as short-term rentals (less than 30 days).
• A property cannot require the demolition or alteration or rental property.

One of the most exciting features of SB 9 is the ability for property owners to split their lot and sell off or develop the second lot.

Lots as small as 2,400 square feet are eligible for subdivision, but the maximum allowable lot split is 60-40. If the existing house is in the center of the property, or if it takes up more than 30-40% of the lot, it might need to be demolished in order to utilize an SB9 lot split.

Finally, homeowners’ associations (HOAs) may have the power to limit or even veto SB 9developments.

By acting upon SB9 some homeowners can build family compounds, create significant rental income or realize hundreds of thousands of dollars from selling unused land. We can help navigate the process.

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