San Luis Obispo County is in need of housing that is affordable to a wide
range of individuals and families. Secondary Dwellings can help meet this
need because they often utilize existing infrastructure, are energy
efficient due to their size, and usually have little impact on existing
neighborhood character. Many Secondary Dwellings can fit easily into the
backyard area of existing lots. In order to encourage property owners to
build Secondary Dwellings, especially in the urban areas, the Planning and
Building Department sought to eliminate or reduce some barriers to building
Secondary Dwellings, such as architectural design and engineering fees,
permit fees, and the time it normally takes to process a building permit by
offering free* building plans for Secondary Dwellings.
The Planning and Building Department worked with the local chapter of the
American Institute of Architects, the Workforce Housing Coalition and the
Builders Exchange to put on a design competition among local licensed
architects, resulting in ten winning home designs. The plans range from 360
to 800 square feet.