AB 956: Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units.

Official summary

Legislative Counsel’s Digest (official, as of the latest version). Written by nonpartisan legislative staff; reproduced verbatim.

Existing law, the Planning and Zoning Law, provides for the creation by local ordinance, or by ministerial approval if a local agency has not adopted an ordinance, of accessory dwelling units in areas zoned for single-family or multifamily dwelling residential use in accordance with specified standards and conditions. Existing law also provides for the creation of junior accessory dwelling units by local ordinance, or, if a local agency has not adopted an ordinance, by ministerial approval, in single-family residential zones in accordance with specified standards and conditions.

Existing law, the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act, among other things, makes void and unenforceable any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any instrument affecting the transfer or sale of any interest in a planned development, and any provision of a governing document, that effectively prohibits or unreasonably restricts the construction or use of an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit on a lot zoned for single-family residential use that meets the above-described standards and conditions for those units.

This bill would revise the provision governing prohibitions or restrictions on the construction or use of an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit on a lot zoned for single-family residential use to instead apply to a lot zoned to allow single-family residential use.

Other existing law also generally makes void and unenforceable any covenant, restriction, or condition contained in any instrument affecting the transfer or sale of any interest in real property that either effectively prohibits or unreasonably restricts the construction or use of an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit on a lot zoned for single-family residential use that meets the above-described standards and conditions for those units.

This bill would similarly revise that provision to instead apply to a lot zoned to allow single-family residential use.

Existing law requires a local agency to ministerially approve a building permit application within a residential or mixed-use zone to create certain accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units, or any combination of those units, if specified conditions are met, including, among other things, requiring the ministerial approval of one detached, new construction, accessory dwelling unit that does not exceed 4-foot side and rear yard setbacks for a lot with a proposed or existing single-family dwelling, as specified.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 4

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. September 29, 2026Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 791, Statutes of 2026.
2. September 29, 2026Approved by the Governor.
3. September 4, 2026Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.
4. August 27, 2026Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 60. Noes 2. Page 6744.).
5. August 27, 2026From committee: That the Senate amendments be concurred in. (Ayes 10. Noes 0.) (August 27).
6. August 26, 2026Joint Rule 62(a), file notice suspended. (Page 6646.)
7. August 25, 2026Re-referred to Com. on H. & C.D. pursuant to Assembly Rule 77.2.
8. August 25, 2026In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
9. August 25, 2026Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 27. Noes 6.).
10. August 13, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.
11. August 12, 2026Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.
12. August 4, 2026Read second time. Ordered to third reading.