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The issue of "granny units" has been a sensitive topic with Willow Glen residents for decades. The city's 20-year ban on these secondary residential units has made it almost impossible for homeowners to house family members, such as elderly parents, in the units or use the additions as rental units, for fear of getting caught. Yet many residents, nevertheless, build the additions or convert a part of their home to an unapproved use under the city's radar.
San Jose Code Enforcement acknowledges that hundreds of these units exist and that they are only investigated when a complaint is filed. During those inspections, the city says, buildings are often not up to code in areas of wiring, plumbing and heating. In those incidents, the city clamps down on the violator, asking the owner to either correct the problem, tear down the unit or bring it back to its original purpose.
But a number of homeowners caught by code enforcement argue that the city makes the working process very difficult. These residents say that the process is costly and unfriendly, and many say they are unjustly persecuted while neighbors, with similar units, are left unscathed.
The city plans to reexamine the granny-units issue and "give it a strong look" beginning in March. With the city's need for more affordable housing and cost-cutting measures to accomplish this goal, secondary units are an option worthy of serious consideration.
Lifting the ban on secondary units could ease the burden of baby boomers trying to care for their elderly parents or that of home buyers looking to lighten their mortgage obligation. It could be a win-win for the city and residents alike.
The city needs to take a proactive stance on this issue, remove the ban and work with homeowners to make these units affordable, code-friendly places to live.
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