Senate Bill 9 (SB 9) was a landmark housing bill passed by the State of California in 2021. It changed how local governments control single-family zoning. In single-family residential zones, the law lets homeowners split their lots and build up to four homes, either through duplexes, lot splits, or both. This is meant to help
What You Need to Know About Senate Bill 9 and the San Gabriel Valley Read More »
What Real Estate Agents & City Planners Know That You Don’t! After spending over 30 years as a City Planner and viewing neighborhoods with a Planner’s eyes, and actually learning from experience in my home buying experience, I’ve seen it all. Buyers fall in love with curb appeal, back yards, crown molding and quartz countertops,
Don’t Buy That Dream Home Until You Read This! Read More »
Our neighborhoods, daily lives, and even property values are shaped by urban planning, often known as city planning. Every city in California is required to have a general plan, and the “general plan” is taught to students at every planning school. A general plan is a roadmap that describes long-term objectives for community development and
How Changes to the General Plan Can Affect Your Home Read More »
How some Cities in the San Gabriel Valley Handle Them Differently Have you ever noticed that some businesses seem to pop up overnight, while others take months—or never open at all? Often, the answer lies in something called a Conditional Use Permit, or CUP. Whether you’re opening a home-based daycare, a restaurant, or a small
Top 5 CUP Pitfalls—and How to Avoid Them Read More »
Have you ever wondered why a quiet neighborhood suddenly gets a four-story apartment building, or why you can’t build a guesthouse in your own backyard? That’s zoning at work — the set of local rules that determine what can be built, where, and how. While zoning might sound like something only city planners or lawyers
Why Understanding Zoning Is the Key to Better Communities Read More »
