Committee advances bill clarifying ADU law to allow two detached units on a lot

Assemblymember Quirk Silva presented AB 9 56, which "clarifies existing accessory dwelling unit law by allowing a homeowner to build up to 2 detached ADUs on a property, provided those units comply with all existing requirements related to size, height, setbacks, as well as health and safety." Supporters said the amendment preserves current density limits while adding flexibility for homeowners to arrange ADUs as detached units rather than converting interior space.

Max Dubler, a city planner with California YIMBY, called the bill a practical update to state ADU reforms and said it will "help multi generational families live together while maintaining privacy and independence." Several housing‑sector witnesses — including HowToADU and Habitat for Humanity — urged the panel to approve the measure. Representatives of the League of California Cities and a number of municipalities expressed concerns that ministerial approvals and on‑street parking could be strained, and requested continued conversations on implementation detail and local impacts.

The committee accepted amendments described in the analysis and moved the bill forward for further review. The transcript indicates committee action to pass the measure as amended to the next committee; the hearing record lists the item as "on call" during roll call and does not print a final, itemized tally in the excerpted passages.