ADU Owner Occupancy: El Monte vs Pasadena
How do adu owner occupancy rules compare between El Monte, CA and Pasadena, CA?
El Monte and Pasadena have similar restriction levels.
El Monte, CA
Los Angeles County
El Monte does not impose owner-occupancy on detached/attached ADUs permitted between Jan 1, 2020 and Jan 1, 2025 (Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6) sunset). JADUs always require owner-occupancy of the property under §65852.22(a)(2).
View full El Monte rules →Pasadena, CA
Los Angeles County
Pasadena cannot require owner occupancy on standard ADUs permitted after January 1, 2020 because California Government Code §65852.2(a)(6), made permanent by AB 976 (2023), preempts local owner-occupancy mandates. Junior ADUs (JADUs) under PMC §17.50.275 still require owner occupancy of either the primary dwelling or the JADU because they share walls and utilities, memorialized by deed restriction. AB 1033 condo conversion has not been adopted by Pasadena as of the date of this article.
View full Pasadena rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | El Monte | Pasadena |
|---|---|---|
| ADU owner-occupancy | Not required | - |
| JADU owner-occupancy | Required | - |
| Deed restriction (JADU) | Required, recorded with LA County | - |
| Exception | Governmental agency, land trust, housing org | - |
| Standard ADU | - | No owner occupancy (state preempts) |
| JADU | - | Owner occupancy required |
| State Law | - | Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6); AB 976 |
| Deed Restriction | - | Recorded at JADU permit |
| Condo Conversion (AB 1033) | - | Not adopted by Pasadena |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
El Monte FAQ
Do I have to live on the property if I build an ADU in El Monte?
No. Owner-occupancy is not required for ADUs permitted in El Monte under current Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6), as extended by AB 976 (2023).
What about a JADU?
Yes. JADUs require the owner to reside on the property in either the primary dwelling or the JADU, and the owner must record a deed restriction memorializing the requirement (Cal. Gov. Code §65852.22(a)(2),(a)(5)).
Pasadena FAQ
Does Pasadena require owner occupancy for ADUs?
No, not for standard ADUs. Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(6) and AB 976 (2023) preempt local owner-occupancy mandates permanently. Both the primary dwelling and the ADU may be rented to non-owner tenants on terms of 30 days or more.
What about JADUs in Pasadena?
JADUs still require owner occupancy of either the primary dwelling or the JADU under PMC §17.50.275 and Gov. Code §65852.22. Pasadena records a deed restriction at permit issuance memorializing this requirement and the prohibition on separate sale of the JADU.
Compare other topics
See how El Monte and Pasadena compare on other ordinance categories.
Want to add a third city?
Use our full comparison tool to compare up to three cities.
Open Comparison Tool