California ADU Laws 2026: New Senate Bill Updates

April 7, 2026

2026 California Senate Bill Updates

California continues to reshape the path to building housing in 2026, with a new wave of proposed and updated Senate and Assembly bills focused on streamlining approvals, reducing costs, and expanding opportunities for homeowners. From faster permitting timelines and clearer infrastructure requirements to expanded ADU allowances and new pathways for property value and ownership, these updates reflect a broader push to make housing more accessible across the state. For homeowners considering an ADU, these changes are especially relevant, as many of the bills directly impact how quickly and affordably backyard homes can be designed, approved, and built.

Faster Approvals & Simpler Process

These updates are designed to reduce delays, improve transparency, and make the building process more predictable from start to finish.

AB 1294 creates a single, statewide application process for new home construction in California, making it faster, cheaper, and easier for home builders to complete the application process.
SB 1014 would require cities to disclose all local requirements related to infrastructure (like sidewalks and sewers) within 30 days of a housing project’s initial application and prohibit cities from adding new requirements more than 30 days after a building permit application. The bill will improve project certainty, reducing risk and cost.
AB 1738 (Carrillo) SPUR, Casita Coalition. Remote virtual inspections for solar systems and ADUs/JADUs.
SB 1216 (Cabaldon) will create a new housing leadership designation to recognize and reward cities and counties that demonstrate measurable success in building new homes.

More ADU Potential & Property Value Opportunities

These updates expand what homeowners can build and how ADUs contribute to long-term property value.

AB 956 (Quirk-Silva) will increase the housing potential of single-family lots by empowering homeowners to build up to two detached ADUs (accessory dwelling units) on their properties.
SB 1117 (Cervantes) will make it less costly to build ADUs by removing an arbitrary financial penalty that many jurisdictions impose on ADUs over 750 square feet.
SB 1033 will enforce the higher value of ADU comparables to condominiums. Allowing the separate sale of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) significantly shifts how they impact property value. Previously, an ADU's value was "locked" to the primary home, but the new ordinance allows homeowners to treat them as independent assets similar to condominiums.
SB 1169/1109 (McNerney) ADU Energization timelines, requirements for pre-application consultation, simultaneous utility app and building permit app, upfront cost estimate for planning purposes, timeline with defined steps and number of days, applicant can file complaints with CPUC, utility can’t cancel application without notice, or take more than 30 days for final connection for reasons other that project readiness. Fines for delays in aggregate annually, fines for violations.

Expanding Housing Options & Urban Growth

These bills focus on increasing housing supply, supporting first-time ownership, and building smarter in existing communities.

SB 1116 (Caballero) will streamline the construction of smaller, lower-cost “starter” homes for home ownership by making several improvements to existing state housing law.
AB 1406 will give more Californians a pathway to affordable homeownership by raising current limits on homebuyer deposits in new housing developments, especially condos. The bill helps builders lower their construction and financing costs by reducing risk to lenders and investors, ultimately leading to lower-cost homes for Californians.
AB 2074 will accelerate the recovery of dense, urban neighborhoods in California’s largest cities by streamlining the construction of high-rise, residential developments near regional transit hubs. The bill includes a low-interest revolving loan fund that will help lower construction costs.
SB 908 (Wiener) adds clarifying language and technical guidance to SB 79 (2025), California’s landmark transit-oriented housing law. The bill will make it easier for local planning departments and builders to use SB 79 to build more homes near transit by eliminating ambiguities and tightening definitions, so local jurisdictions can implement its provisions without confusion or delay.

Policy Updates & Ongoing Reforms

Additional legislation continues to refine how housing projects are approved, financed, and delivered across California.

SB 9 Reforms in Process: A third party can be a subdivider and submit to the municipality ministerially. A trust or LLC can be an occupant. Building permits and subdivision applications can be concurrent.
SB 876 (Padilla): Insurance reforms 1169 (Quirk-Silva) By right approvals and CEQA exemptions for some townhomes.