The city of San Diego's Development Services Department announced Tuesday that it will begin accepting permit-ready building plans for the construction of companion units attached to existing single- and multi-family properties.
Homeowners can apply for a permit to build one of the units, also called casitas or granny flats, by contacting the Development Services Department.
In recent months, the city has sought to make granny flat construction more efficient by making changes like waiving fees and increasing the maximum unit size from 700 square feet to 1,200, among other things.
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"We're doing everything we can to make it easier and cheaper to build housing here in San Diego," Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. "Granny flats are exploding in popularity thanks to our housing reforms and now residents can build them for less with pre-approved plans that will ensure the permitting process is quick and efficient."
The streamlining of granny flat regulations has caused applications for their construction to increase nearly 2,500% since 2016 when the city received 19 applications. Through October, the city has received more than 480 applications this year.
To apply, homeowners must ensure their building plan meets the city's submittal guidelines and make an appointment with DSD by calling 619-446-5300 to allow city officials to review the plan. Information on all city permitting and inspection processes can be found at sandiego.gov/development-services/permits-inspections.
