ADU Owner Occupancy: Oxnard vs Thousand Oaks
How do adu owner occupancy rules compare between Oxnard, CA and Thousand Oaks, CA?
Oxnard and Thousand Oaks have similar restriction levels.
Oxnard, CA
Ventura County
Oxnard does not impose an owner-occupancy requirement on standard ADUs. Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(8), as amended by AB 587 (2019) and AB 976 (2023), prohibits cities from requiring owner-occupancy on ADUs permitted on or before January 1, 2025 and indefinitely thereafter. JADUs remain subject to owner-occupancy under Cal. Gov. Code §65852.22(a)(2) with a recorded deed restriction.
View full Oxnard rules →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 | Oxnard | Thousand Oaks |
|---|---|---|
| ADU Owner-Occupancy | Not required (Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(8)) | - |
| JADU Owner-Occupancy | Required (Cal. Gov. Code §65852.22(a)(2)) | - |
| JADU Deed Restriction | Recorded against the property | - |
| Oxnard Implementation | City Code Sec. 16-467 | - |
| Source of Prohibition | AB 587 (2019), AB 976 (2023) | - |
| 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.
Oxnard FAQ
Do I have to live in my Oxnard house to build an ADU?
No. Cal. Gov. Code §65852.2(a)(8) (as amended by AB 587 and AB 976) prohibits Oxnard from requiring owner-occupancy as a condition of issuing an ADU permit. You can rent out both the primary residence and the ADU to separate households.
Is owner-occupancy required for a Junior ADU in Oxnard?
Yes. Cal. Gov. Code §65852.22 requires the owner to occupy either the main house or the JADU as their principal residence, and a deed restriction recording that obligation (and the prohibition on separate sale) must be recorded with Ventura County before the certificate of occupancy is issued.
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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