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TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Even with ADU-friendly regulations in place, the process of developing an ADU can be frustrating and intimidating for the average homeowner. California -based research on people who successfully built ADUS revealed that securing permits was one of the most challenging aspects of the process.10 Over 50 percent of respondents said it was difficult to get their ADU plans approved. Many shared that planning staff did not always have a good understanding of ADU regulations, or that conflicting city, county, and state development rules took time for staff and homeowners to understand and resolve. Improving staff comfort with ADU regulations is a crucial step in supporting greater ADU development. Externally, simple improvements to city websites can go a long way toward helping homeowners —the primary agents of ADU development —to understand the development process. Other initiatives that cities have used include: DEVELOPMENT PLANNING TOOLS: Cities can offer ADU planning tools along a wide spectrum in terms of investment and complexity, from a basic outline of the process to a list of FAQs, cost calculators, guidebooks, or forms and checklists that prompt homeowners to gather necessary site information for the permitting process. The City of Seattle offers a self-service interactive parcel map that uses assessor data to show whether ADUS are allowed, and how large they can be for a specific lot. Tools that help homeowners understand the process and get more information about project feasibility on their own can help maximize staff time once an application is brought to the city. PRE -APPROVED ADU PLANS: Offering a set of city -approved design and construction plans at low - or no -cost helps homeowners save on predevelopment expenses and speeds up the permitting process. Pre - approved plans can also offer design standards that help ADUS blend in with the current housing stock." There are different models for pre- approval: in some cases, the city owns the plans and distributes them for free, while in others, the designers maintain ownership and sell the plans to homeowners. Cities that offer free plans include the Cities of Oakland, Fort Bragg, Encinitas, Citrus Heights, and San Diego in California. In Eugene, Oregon, pre -approved plan fees, payable to the designers, are capped at $500. An important consideration with pre - approved plans is the evaluation of the costs of building each design, which affects how feasible —and therefore likely —they are to be built. Early research shows lower utilization of pre -approved plans in larger cities, from 3-5 percent. Smaller suburbs with pre -approved plans have seen utilization closer to 20 percent.12 Nonprofit organizations and consultants can also provide technical assistance to help interested homeowners start, navigate, and complete the ADU development process. NONPROFIT SUPPORT FOR ADUS: Many ADU programs offered by nonprofits have supported ADU development for lower -income homeowners. Keys to Equity is a program in the City of Oakland, California, led by community -based nonprofit Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services, with lending and philanthropic partners. The cohort -based program offers education, design and project management, financial counseling, access to an ADU loan product through Self -Help Federal Credit Union, and landlord training to its participants. Though the program is open to any homeowner in Oakland, the program's outreach is focused on Black homeowners." "TURN -KEY" ADU BUILDERS: In many markets, "turn- key" ADU builders lower the barriers for homeowners by offering a fixed price for ADU design and construction, where the company also handles the permitting and approval process. Even when these ADU models are not pre -approved by the city, the designs are usually tailored with local codes in mind to speed the approval process. An ecosystem of turn -key ADU builders can offer local jurisdictions some of the benefits of pre -approved plans without the administrative costs.