Napa Sonoma ADU in the News: New director leads center to promote Napa accessory dwelling units
Check out this article about the Napa Sonoma ADU Center in the Napa Valley Register, where I share about my vision for the Napa Sonoma ADU Center and the surprising impact of COVID-19 on homeowners’ ADU plans.
From the article:
“The Napa Sonoma ADU Center, the newly launched information hub for homeowners looking to build an accessory dwelling unit, recently announced the hire of a director to lead the operation.
Renée Schomp, the Sonoma County native who brings with her nearly a decade of experience in the legal aid and non-profit sectors, will spearhead the initiative launched by Napa Valley Community Foundation intended to address the ongoing housing crisis.
Napa’s vacancy rate – an indicator of how many units are available for aspiring renters or homebuyers at any one point – hovers around 2%, notably lower than the national average of about 6.4%, statistics show. With limited options, many people are forced into units beyond their price range. Nearly half of Napa Valley renters are cost-burdened by housing, meaning they spend at least one-third of their income on rent, according to 2017 Census data.
Napa City Hall has been pushing an proactive policy agenda to pave the way for easy construction of granny flats, the small, self-contained living quarters located either adjacent to or on the property of single-family houses. They provide homeowners the opportunity to earn extra income while also upping the local stock of affordable housing.
Napa Sonoma ADU will make it easier for prospective accessory unit builders to calculate the cost of their project, look at floor plans and design inspiration, reach out to a network of experienced contractors in the area, and access a streamlined version of state and local laws, among other things.”
Click here to read the rest of this in-depth article!
“I see the Napa Sonoma ADU Center as an opportunity to catalyze concrete action steps towards building more affordable housing as part a larger affordable housing solution. ”