Clovis, CA Accessory Structures: ADU Owner Occupancy (2026)

020(G)(3) draws a clear distinction between the two accessory unit types Clovis allows. For a standard ADU, whether attached, detached, or converted from an existing accessory structure or garage, the code states plainly that owner-occupancy is not required, so an investor or absentee owner can build and rent out an ADU without living on the property at all. A junior accessory dwelling unit is different because it is carved entirely out of the walls of the existing single-family home rather than built as a separate structure.

Because a JADU shares structure and systems with the main house, the code requires that someone with an ownership interest in the property live on site, either in the primary residence or in the newly created JADU itself; the owner gets to choose which of the two units to occupy. 020(G)(2) already permits renting the JADU separately from the primary residence. The code carves out one further exception: owner-occupancy is not required at all if the property owner is a governmental agency, a land trust, or a housing organization, recognizing that affordable-housing developers and public agencies often hold title without a resident owner. 020(G)(3) even if the ADU-only portion of the property would otherwise be fine.