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Santa Clarita Today
By the People, for the People
Santa Clarita to Update 'Granny Flat' Rules After State Feedback
City's latest ADU ordinance revisions aim to comply with evolving state guidelines.
Mar. 14, 2026 at 12:22am
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The city of Santa Clarita is once again updating its rules and regulations on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or 'granny flats,' following feedback in December from the state's housing regulators. The first step is a review of the draft ordinance by the Planning Commission, with the city promising the state it would draft a revised ordinance for the City Council by July 1.
Why it matters
Santa Clarita's efforts to maintain 'maximum local control' over ADU development standards have run afoul of the state's latest guidelines, leading to lawsuits and the need for the city to continually revise its ordinance to stay in compliance with evolving state ADU laws.
The details
The city passed its original ADU ordinance in February 2021 but was told further revision was necessary in March 2023. After responding within 30 days, the city didn't hear back from the state until 2025, when it tried to add additional regulations on what could be approved in an ADU. This led to a lawsuit from two Northern California groups over the city's ADU rules.
- The city passed its original ADU ordinance in February 2021.
- In March 2023, the city was told further revision to the ADU ordinance was necessary.
- The city responded to the state within 30 days in 2023.
- In May 2025, the city tried to add additional regulations on ADUs.
- In December 2025, the city was sued by two Northern California groups over its ADU regulations.
The players
Jason Crawford
The city's director of community development, who said there were multiple problems with the state's process for reviewing the city's housing authority.
Dylan Casey
The executive director for the California Housing Defense Fund, who said the city 'doubled down' on its ADU regulations instead of making changes after receiving a warning letter from the organization.
What they’re saying
“The state keeps changing the rules, and so the city has to go and revise our ADU ordinance, and then the rules change again, right? So that's part of it.”
— Jason Crawford, Director of Community Development
“The state Legislature has continued to, kind of, update statewide ADU requirements. And so, cities have this task of, kind of continually updating their local ordinance to stay in compliance, right? So really, in most cases, we're just trying to help out.”
— Dylan Casey, Executive Director
What’s next
The first step for the city is a review of the draft ADU ordinance by the Planning Commission, scheduled for Tuesday's meeting. The city has promised the state it will draft a revised ordinance for the City Council by July 1.
The takeaway
Santa Clarita's ongoing struggle to balance local control over ADU development with compliance with evolving state regulations highlights the challenges cities face in keeping up with frequent changes to housing laws, often leading to legal battles and the need for continual ordinance revisions.
