ADU Owner Occupancy: Ojai vs Thousand Oaks
How do adu owner occupancy rules compare between Ojai, CA and Thousand Oaks, CA?
Ojai, CA
Ventura County
No data available yet for Ojai.
Thousand Oaks, CA
Ventura County
Thousand Oaks cannot require the property owner to live on-site to operate a standard ADU, per AB 881 / AB 976 and Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(7). Junior ADUs (JADUs) under TOMC Title 9 still require owner-occupancy of either the JADU or the primary dwelling, memorialized in a deed restriction recorded with Ventura County.
View full Thousand Oaks rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Ojai | Thousand Oaks |
|---|---|---|
| ADU Owner Occupancy | - | Not required (Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(7)) |
| JADU Owner Occupancy | - | Required (Gov. Code §65852.22) |
| Deed Restriction | - | JADUs only; recorded with Ventura County |
| Statutes | - | AB 881 / AB 976 / AB 1033 |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Ojai FAQ
No FAQs available.
Thousand Oaks FAQ
Do I have to live in my Thousand Oaks ADU or main house?
Not for a standard ADU — state law (Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(7)) prohibits Thousand Oaks from imposing an owner-occupancy requirement on ADUs permitted on or after January 1, 2020. Owner occupancy is required only for Junior ADUs (JADUs) under 500 sq ft.
Can I rent out both my Thousand Oaks home and an attached JADU?
No. JADUs require the owner to live on-site (in either the JADU or the primary dwelling), and the requirement is memorialized in a deed restriction recorded with the Ventura County Recorder before final inspection.
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