ADU Owner Occupancy: Petaluma vs Sonoma
How do adu owner occupancy rules compare between Petaluma, CA and Sonoma, CA?
Petaluma, CA
Sonoma County
No data available yet for Petaluma.
Sonoma, CA
Sonoma County
JADUs require owner-occupancy of the parcel (either the main house or the JADU). New ADUs permitted on or after January 1, 2020 are exempt from owner-occupancy per Cal. Gov. Code 65852.2(a)(6); pre-2020 ADUs remain subject to the rule in effect at permitting.
View full Sonoma rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Petaluma | Sonoma |
|---|---|---|
| JADU owner-occupancy | - | Required (all JADUs) |
| ADU owner-occupancy (post-2020) | - | Not required |
| ADU owner-occupancy (pre-2020) | - | Per rule at time of permit |
| Exemption | - | Govt agency, land trust, or housing org owner |
| Recorded | - | Yes - deed restriction |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Petaluma FAQ
No FAQs available.
Sonoma FAQ
Do I have to live on the property if I build a new ADU in Sonoma?
No, not for ADUs permitted on or after January 1, 2020. SMC 19.45.030 follows Cal. Gov. Code 65852.2(a)(6) and does not impose owner-occupancy on new ADUs. JADUs, however, still require owner-occupancy.
Can I rent out both the house and the JADU?
No. A JADU parcel must have the owner residing in either the main dwelling or the JADU as their primary residence. Renting both units violates SMC 19.45.030 and the deed restriction.
What if my ADU was permitted in 2017?
Pre-2020 ADUs are bound by whatever owner-occupancy rule was in effect when they were permitted. Sonoma historically required owner-occupancy in the main or accessory unit, so most pre-2020 ADUs still carry that obligation.
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