ADU types we build in Long Beach

Which ADU type fits my lot?

Start with what you already have. A garage in good condition is often the cheapest path to a legal unit. An open rear yard points to a backyard cottage. A large house with spare rooms may suit a junior ADU.

Then look at your goals. A tenant usually wants a separate entrance and privacy. A parent or adult child may be fine with a junior ADU that shares a wall, or even a bathroom, with the main house.

Can I build more than one ADU on a Long Beach lot?

Often, yes. As of October 2026, the City of Long Beach says a single-family lot may combine one ADU converted from existing space, one new detached ADU and one junior ADU. Multi-family lots follow different counts, and junior ADUs are not allowed there.

How do the types compare?

• Garage conversion: no size limit beyond the existing footprint, plus up to 150 sq ft for entry and exit. Existing height and setbacks can stay if fire-safe.
• Backyard cottage: 4-foot side and rear setbacks; height generally 16 feet, or 18 feet near qualifying transit.
• Attached ADU: up to 50% of the main home's floor area or 800 sq ft, whichever is more, in Long Beach.
• Junior ADU: up to 500 sq ft of interior living space, inside a single-family home.

Limits as of October 2026, from the City of Long Beach ADU bulletin and zoning summary and the California HCD ADU Handbook. Long Beach is preparing a new ADU ordinance, so we confirm the current rules for your address.