Long Beach incentivizes homeowners to create new accessory properties

Like many cities in the United States, Long Beach has been working hard to tackle housing issues and create housing strategies that allow all its residents to access the possibility of owning a home more easily and appropriately.

Among all the strategies being implemented to address the shortage of affordable housing in the city is the Backyard Builders Initiative, which aims to provide, in addition to generating housing options for residents, that homeowners can earn some extra income.

The Backyard Builders Initiative is a program adapted by the city of Long Beach to incentivize those homeowners who have lots that meet certain requirements to build affordable properties on their own land, thus creating more places to live while receiving extra money for themselves. These new places created are known as accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

Through this initiative, the city offers financial assistance, legal support, obtaining permits, a 0% interest loan for 30 years, and everything necessary for all homeowners in Long Beach to design and build an ADU on their own land for rental purposes, as long as the land complies with city codes to ensure the dwelling is habitable and that the rental price is affordable.

The goal of creating this new property is to allow it to be rented out and thus contribute to providing communities and residents with more affordable housing, helping to address the housing shortage in the city.

The condition that those who qualify for this new housing proposal must accept is to agree to rent their ADU at a reasonable price to a person or family who meets the program’s income criteria. According to the program’s parameters, priority will be given to those homeowners who commit to renting their ADUs to individuals who are recipients of housing vouchers issued by the Long Beach Housing Authority.

In the city, administrators say there are thousands of people with large lots who are on the verge of facing foreclosure on their homes; this measure and the financial resources provided would be a great help to prevent the foreclosure of their houses if they decide to adhere to the criteria of the ADU housing program.

The provision of housing vouchers and the promotion of the creation of new accessory properties are the latest initiatives being offered by the city of Long Beach to address the housing shortage that its residents are experiencing. They believe that the mutual assistance of the city and homeowners with large lots could be a great help for the thousands of people who are daily seeking affordable and dignified housing to live in.

Available Foreclosures

Long Beach: 150 homes available.