ADU Owner Occupancy: Thousand Oaks vs Ventura
How do adu owner occupancy rules compare between Thousand Oaks, CA and Ventura, CA?
Thousand Oaks and Ventura have similar restriction levels.
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 →Ventura, CA
Ventura County
California state law bars Ventura from imposing owner-occupancy on ADUs permitted between 2020 and 2025. Owner-occupancy is required only for JADUs (junior ADUs) under Gov. Code § 65852.22(a)(2), which mandates that the owner reside in either the primary dwelling or the JADU.
View full Ventura rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Thousand Oaks | Ventura |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | - |
| Standard ADU owner-occupancy | - | Prohibited by Gov. Code § 65852.2(a)(6) (made permanent by AB 976) |
| JADU owner-occupancy | - | Required — owner must live in primary or JADU (§ 65852.22(a)(2)) |
| JADU deed restriction | - | Required to be recorded — § 65852.22(a)(5) |
| Exceptions | - | Government agency, land trust, or housing organization owners exempt from JADU occupancy |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
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.
Ventura FAQ
Does Ventura require me to live on-site to rent out an ADU?
No. State law bars Ventura from requiring owner-occupancy for standard ADUs (Gov. Code § 65852.2(a)(6); AB 976 made permanent).
What about a JADU?
Yes — JADUs require the owner to live in either the main house or the JADU under Gov. Code § 65852.22(a)(2), and the city must record a deed restriction.
Are there exceptions to JADU occupancy?
Yes. The owner-occupancy rule does not apply if the owner is a government agency, land trust, or housing organization (§ 65852.22(a)(2)).
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