Halfway into an eight-year planning cycle, San Diego County reports it has permitted more than three quarters of new homes the state called for in unincorporated areas by 2029. Thirty percent of them are accessory dwelling units.

A Voice of San Diego analysis of county data reported to the state revealed those ADUs or granny flats made up half the homes the county reported as affordable to low-income and middle-class San Diegans the past four years.

The rise of ADUs has coincided with the state-mandated implementation of environmental rules that the region’s homebuilding lobby has blamed for dramatically slowing development. Meanwhile, state and local policies and programs, including a now-expired county fee waiver initiative, made it easier to build ADUs.

The result: More ADUs popped u

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