Hello, I just went to look at a rental unit in Cupertino and found that it was a garage (with even the garage doors on one side!), remodeled from the other side with doors and converted to a full studio. Just wondering if it is really legal for a SFH owner to rent out a remodeled garage as a studio?
Legal. But not good
Legal ADU. Though it depends on the county. It's legal in Bay Area in all counties.
This is almost as bad as renting out a walk-in closet as a bedroom.
How much was rent for the garage?
Mostly it's an unpermitted conversion. Cupertino residential zone requires certain parking spaces per dwelling unit. Several signs to tell if it's permitted. If there is no proper insulation, then it must be unpermitted. CA has very strict energy efficient building regulation. Fire code compliance. If the unit has no egress door/window, it's an unpermitted conversion. If the house has no shaded parking besides street parking, then it's most likely also unpermitted. The best way is to check with city planning and building department. If it turns out unpermitted, I recommend report this to city's building department. Building code is there for a reason. Unpermitted units always have a lot of safety hazards that can potentially cost lifes.
https://www.cupertino.org/our-city/departments/community-development/planning/residential-development/residential-parking Here's Cupertino residential parking ordinance. A SFH needs a minimum of a 20'x20' 2-car garage. If there isn't another garage on the property, then it's definitely unpermitted. Unpermitted garage conversion is a very serious safety hazard. Please do the neighborhood a favor and report it to Cupertino's unpermitted code enforcement @408-777-3182.
District 18?
Look up the permits online. Report of you can't find one
They all do that. I didnt move to the garage studio for those reasons: 1. No noise isolation: you will feel yourself basically living almost on the street with all that noise 2. No temperature regulations: in summer hot as hell, in winter cold as in Antarctica 3. No ventilation 4. No stove usually...