Bay Area ADU initiative could lay path for aging in place

California’s Alameda County is developing a housing initiative designed to help older homeowners on fixed incomes unlock the value of their properties while creating additional housing for families. The program would help eligible seniors finance and build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on their properties. Participants would move into the smaller residences, divide their land into separate parcels and sell their original homes. The proceeds could repay construction loans and provide additional financial security, according to a report from the San Francisco Chronicle. Michelle Starratt, director of the county’s housing department, said the initiative offers an alternative that could allow seniors to remain in their communities. “That senior is then walking away with a smaller unit, a right-sized unit that they then can live in, hopefully more accessible, and we have created an opportunity for a new family to have a home,” she told the Chronicle. The proposal draws on several California laws, the outlet explained. Assembly Bill 68 eased restrictions on ADU construction, while Proposition 19 allows eligible homeowners to transfer their property tax assessment to another home under ...