Title
Receive an update on the Garage Conversion Amnesty Program Permit for single-family homes with unauthorized garage conversions.
Body
REQUESTOR:
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Roger Neal
BACKGROUND:
On July 17, 2024, the City Council approved the Garage Conversion Amnesty Program to help property owners bring non-permitted garage conversions into compliance without incurring the high costs of re-conversion. Under the program, homeowners can apply for a permit by submitting a property survey (or similar documentation) along with a floor plan. City staff then reviewed the documents and processed the application, which included an inspection of the converted space.
The program was designed to:
• Validate previously unauthorized garage conversions.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and minimum building code requirements.
• Remove nonconforming status and allow future permits for expansion or additions
The previous amnesty program deadline was set to terminate on January 30, 2026. After that date, unpermitted garage conversions would be deemed nonconforming structures in accordance with the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO). This nonconforming status would prohibit the issuance of building permits for future expansions of existing residential units.
Staff initially identified 1,393 single-family homes potentially in violation of the garage conversion ordinance, and the number was reduced to 714 through staff review and follow-up. During the January 20, 2026, City Council meeting, Council directed staff to extend the program for an additional six months. Subsequently, at the March 17, 2026, City Council meeting, Ordinance No. 3992 was approved, setting a new expiration date of July 31, 2026. The extension would allow staff more time to review and validate properties included in the list of homes with converted garages and would give residents who did not apply for amnesty during the initial period additional time to come into compliance.
DISCUSSION:
Staff have diligently worked to conduct outreach to residents who have not submitted applications to the program. The outreach consisted of targeted messaging through social media, delivery of the Garage Conversion flyers to 400 residences across the City, and direct phone calls to more than 150 residents to discuss the impeding July 31, 2026, expiration date. Through these efforts, staff have ascertained that at least 50 residences are not owner-occupied units, impacting the number of houses seeking to come into compliance.
Further, since City Council’s presentation on January 20, 2026, the applications received increased from 211 to 316, representing a 49.76% increase in applications received over the last six months.
Table 1.1 below provides a comparison to the Six-Month Extension of activities for Garage Conversion Amnesty Program.
Table 1.1
|
Activity |
January 20, 2026 |
July 29, 2026 |
|
Amnesty Applications Completed |
211 |
316 |
|
Approved Permits |
187 |
242 |
|
Properties Brought into Compliance |
187 |
55 |
|
Remaining Noncompliant Properties |
527 |
472 |
|
Overall Compliance Rate |
26.19% |
33.89% |
Additional application data is summarized below:
§ 19 applications have been canceled
§ 17 applications are pending applicants’ resubmittal of property information
§ 15 applications are currently waiting for inspections
§ 14 applications have expired
§ 9 new submittals
As previously stated, at least 50 residences on the list of Garage Conversions are not owner-occupied units. The residents of these units are less likely to participate in the amnesty program. Moreover, given that staff is currently working with 34 property owners (17 resubmittals, 15 properties waiting for inspections, and 9 new submittals), we can expect at least half of these properties will come into compliance within the next 90 days.
There are provisions in the ordinance that indicate for residents who do not come into compliance prior to the expiration date of July 31, 2026, will not be able to apply for any building permits until the unpermitted garage conversion is remediated.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Minimal revenue from application fees.
DISTRICT:
Citywide
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Ordinance No. 3992
2. Presentation