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Albany staff presentation: ADU survey finds most accessory units are rented; owners cite permitting delays
Summary
A city presentation to the Planning & Zoning Commission summarized a small 2026 ADU survey: 26 owner and 5 tenant responses showed 80% of owner-respondent ADUs occupied, diverse rent levels, and frequent complaints about permitting timelines and costs.
A city presentation on July 8 summarized findings from Albany’s 2026 accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rent-and-use survey, showing owner respondents generally rent their ADUs and use them for multigenerational or elder-care housing.
The survey, presented by Alicia Siddiqui, the City Civic Spark Fellow, drew 26 owner responses and 5 tenant responses. Siddiqui said 80% of the owner-respondent ADUs were occupied; of those occupied units, 60% housed tenants unrelated to the owner, 30% housed family members and 10% were owner-occupied. She told the commission that "50% of occupied ADUs had a resident over the age of 60," and that rents spanned a wide range from under $1,000 to $2,500 or more.
Siddiqui said the city mailed 286 postcards to known ADU owners and tenants and posted the surveys on the city website and newsletter; the team translated the survey into multiple languages and left the survey open about a month. She emphasized the sample size was small — especially for tenants — and staff therefore focused analysis on owner responses.
The open-ended feedback showed recurrent concerns about permitting and construction: respondents reported lengthy permitting timelines, high costs, confusion navigating the city’s web pages and uncertainty about tenant-protection rules. Siddiqui said that feedback points to opportunities for clearer online guidance and a more transparent permitting process.
Commissioners thanked Siddiqui for the presentation and noted the data supports ADUs as a tool for “gentle density” and multigenerational housing. No formal action was taken; the presentation will inform future housing-element work and potential regulatory adjustments.
Siddiqui and staff said the results will be used to inform ADU outreach and potential regulatory clarifications; the city did not announce any immediate code changes at the meeting.
