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The author's experience is interesting to read about, but their dwelling is not typical of ADUs. 240 sq. ft is on the extreme low end of ADU sizes. Googling yie

The author's experience is interesting to read about, but their dwelling is not typical of ADUs. 240 sq. ft is on the extreme low end of ADU sizes. Googling yields a variety of different figures, but one blog[1] cites an average ADU size of 640 ft. As someone who currently lives in a <700 sq. ft apartment with another person and a dog, I can say that 640 ft would be very livable for one person. Tiny homes sound terrible, but tiny home != ADU. There are a lot of more reasonably sized ADUs being built, and most of them should be much more pleasant to live in than this one. https://blogs.berkeley.edu/2017/05/23/jumpstarting-the-market-for-accessory-dwelling-units/ https://blogs.berkeley.edu/2017/05/23/jumpstarting-the-marke...

maire 7y ago
ADU size depends on lot size and zoning. In Santa Cruz county, ADUs inside the "utility zone" are limited to 10% for normal lot sizes up to a max of 640 sqft. Large lots can have an ADU up to 800 sqft. Outside of the "utility zone" ADUs can be as large as 1200 sqft if your lot is greater than 1 acre.
- gnopgnip 7y ago
  A few state laws on ADU have changed recently, the lot size limits are no longer legal and you can build 600sq ft adu on sub 5000 sq ft lots now
badfrog 7y ago
For most people I know in NYC, 640 square feet per person would be a huge upgrade.
- kevindong 7y ago
  I live in a 490 sq. ft. NYC studio and it's honestly great for just myself. That being said, once apartments get that small, a great floor plan is essential to having a functional, yet spacious small apartment. I have a walk in closet, two regular closets, a laundry closet (with stacked, in-unit washer and dryer), a standard bathroom, a full kitchen, a sectional couch, a media console, and a queen sized bed. I've never felt cramped in my apartment. I've seen studio apartment listings with more space (in the ~500~600 sq. ft. range), but the floor plan is such that I wouldn't be able to fit what I currently have in there despite the additional ~0~100 sq. ft. of space due to a non-rectangular floor plan (trying to fit any piece of furniture in a non 90-degree corner will never go well).
tidenly 7y ago
Unless I'm calculating wrong these apartments all sounds huge. Not trying to compete but I live in an apartment in Tokyo with less than 10 square meters and a futon in the loft - I'd happily trade for any of those.

maire 7y ago

ADU size depends on lot size and zoning. In Santa Cruz county, ADUs inside the "utility zone" are limited to 10% for normal lot sizes up to a max of 640 sqft. Large lots can have an ADU up to 800 sqft. Outside of the "utility zone" ADUs can be as large as 1200 sqft if your lot is greater than 1 acre.

gnopgnip 7y ago
A few state laws on ADU have changed recently, the lot size limits are no longer legal and you can build 600sq ft adu on sub 5000 sq ft lots now

badfrog 7y ago

For most people I know in NYC, 640 square feet per person would be a huge upgrade.

kevindong 7y ago
I live in a 490 sq. ft. NYC studio and it's honestly great for just myself. That being said, once apartments get that small, a great floor plan is essential to having a functional, yet spacious small apartment. I have a walk in closet, two regular closets, a laundry closet (with stacked, in-unit washer and dryer), a standard bathroom, a full kitchen, a sectional couch, a media console, and a queen sized bed. I've never felt cramped in my apartment. I've seen studio apartment listings with more space (in the ~500~600 sq. ft. range), but the floor plan is such that I wouldn't be able to fit what I currently have in there despite the additional ~0~100 sq. ft. of space due to a non-rectangular floor plan (trying to fit any piece of furniture in a non 90-degree corner will never go well).

tidenly 7y ago

Unless I'm calculating wrong these apartments all sounds huge. Not trying to compete but I live in an apartment in Tokyo with less than 10 square meters and a futon in the loft - I'd happily trade for any of those.