Creativity and community are two key ingredients needed to turn around our housing crisis in West Marin. This weekend, West Marin residents will have the opportunity to learn about a direct, immediate way to create a new home: by turning a portion of one’s house into a rental unit.
Many homeowners have thought about it over the years. “Why not turn the basement into an apartment?” you may have asked yourself. Or, “If I put a wall here, and created a door there….” and your imagination takes off. Perhaps the house is now emptier than in previous years or maybe you need additional help on the property, but haven’t really settled on how it would all work.
Here is that nudge you need—an expert nudge. The Community Land Trust Association of West Marin is hosting a workshop on just this topic on Saturday and Sunday, April 23 and 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. CLAM is partnering with Lilypad Homes, a Marin-based nonprofit that supports the creation of affordable homes through the design and construction of second units, in-law apartments and smaller units that are within the current footprint of one’s home. Lilypad Homes brings the design expertise, knowledge of the permitting process and costs, and the construction know-how. So why not bring your possibilities, and your questions, and join us?
On Saturday, Lilypad Homes will walk through the zoning, permitting and financing involved in creating a separate dwelling within an existing home. They will also review options for second units. This general overview will answer questions and provide the background you need to take the next steps. For those who would like to go deeper, the Sunday workshop, at the CLAM office, will enable people to create unit designs based on home measurements and proposed units.
This method of creating rental units within a home, or in a second unit, is definitely not new to West Marin—but like many tried-and-true ways of doing things, it needs a fresh look. On the Marin County books, permits currently allow for the creation of up to three rental rooms with a “snack bar” in homes within the coastal zone. This means that, right now, new units can be created with little cost and permitting hassle. In fact, the county views this as a key way to create needed affordable homes, and is streamlining the permitting process. They’ve even given new in-home units a new name: Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit, or JADU. The county’s intention is to make something that is relatively easy even easier.
With the loss of many rental homes over the past few years in West Marin, there is no better time than now to explore this option. With your possibilities explored and questions answered, you can create a much-needed rental home that brings specific benefits to you and your community.
To RSVP, call Ruth Lopez at (415) 663.1005. Saturday’s workshop is free; Sunday’s in-depth design workshop is $45.