ADU Resource Center of San Mateo County is now open!

We are thrilled to share our work to establish the ADU Resource Center of San Mateo County. Read below for a press release going out now to announce the launch and the details of this new organization.


SAN MATEO, CA – October 16, 2024 – The ADU Resource Center of San Mateo County launched today at www.smcadu.org to help homeowners and jurisdictions build more Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and accelerate the pace of housing development in the county.  The center is a joint effort of local jurisdictions and funders committed to increasing ADU production and affordability. It provides tools, educational materials and expert staff to help streamline development of ADUs, which are smaller secondary homes built on the same property as the primary residence.

The nonprofit center is funded by the San Francisco Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Home for All and participating jurisdictions, including Atherton, Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, City of San Mateo, East Palo Alto, Foster City, Hillsborough, Pacifica, Portola Valley, Redwood City, San Bruno,  San Carlos, San Mateo County, South San Francisco and Woodside. Administrative support for the center is provided by Community Planning Collaborative (CPC), a national leader in housing policy and ADU resources.


“The ADU Resource Center is the result of community stakeholders in San Mateo County uniting to address the housing crisis. It is a collaborative effort to support jurisdictions in expanding infill housing while guiding homeowners through the complex process of building an ADU.” 

Joshua Abrams, principal at CPC


Center Leadership

The ADU Resource Center will be led by Director Anna Alekseyeva, who brings extensive experience in community development and strategy, most recently as chief strategy officer at LISC, one of the largest nonprofit community development financial institutions in the country. 

“I’m excited to lead the center’s efforts to support jurisdictions in increasing ADU production to smooth the ADU journey for homeowners,” said Alekseyeva. “By offering a suite of specialized ADU services to both jurisdictions and homeowners, we aim to get more ADUs built and create diverse housing opportunities in existing neighborhoods.”

 California’s ADU Evolution

Momentum is building in California and nationally for ADUs. California has passed sweeping new laws since 2017 to streamline permitting of ADUs. In 2023, ADUs accounted for one in five new homes in California, doubling since 2020, according to the California Department of Finance

The ADU Resource Center of San Mateo County will help to address a lag in ADU production in Northern California while supporting development of accessible and affordable housing in the county, a jobs center for the Bay Area. 

ADUs are an integral part of San Mateo County’s strategy to meet state-mandated housing requirements. The county’s goal is for local jurisdictions to cumulatively produce more than 4,500 new ADUs during the 2023-2031 housing cycle. In 2023, 403 ADUs were completed across all county jurisdictions, comprising 23% of all housing units and 30% of low- and very low-income units. 

ADU Development Network 

Modeled on the Napa Sonoma ADU Center, the San Mateo ADU Resource Center is part of a growing network of collaborative, multi-jurisdictional organizations working to increase ADU production by providing broader public education about the process of ADU development. The center will also work closely with local governments to better equip them to meet housing requirements. 


“The ADU Resource Center will be a vital hub of knowledge to empower homeowners who want to create accessory dwelling units on their properties. It's an investment that will support increased ADU production in the city, enhance countywide collaboration on ADU code and policy best practices, and, most importantly, support homeowners who are looking to invest in their property and add critically needed housing units.”

Zachary Dahl, community development director with the City of San Mateo


Streamlining the ADU Process

The ADU Resource Center will offer a range of tools and services to homeowners and member jurisdictions, including a comprehensive multilingual website and free ADU guidebook, step-by-step process instructions, and information about local rules and regulations. A gallery of ADU floorplans will enable residents to browse ADU plans for inspiration and connect with designers, and an ADU calculator will help residents create ADU project budgets with real-world cost assumptions. The center will also work closely with local governments to promote ADU policy best practices and will focus on increasing the production of affordable ADUs through a specialized program developed during the first year of operation.

To learn more, visit smcadu.org, and sign up to receive updates here

About ADU Resource Center of San Mateo County

The ADU Resource Center of San Mateo County provides tools, educational materials and expert staff to help jurisdictions and homeowners build more ADUs – especially affordable ADUs. The Center is a joint effort of Community Planning Collaborative, San Mateo jurisdictions, and local funders who are committed to increasing ADU production, affordability and equity. For more information, visit www.smcadu.org.

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