Campbell is leading the charge on ADU streamlining with a new policy that enables permit approvals in under a week—making it the fastest in Santa Clara County. This proactive move is already delivering results and offers a model for other cities to follow.

Campbell is stepping up with a big win for housing! The City’s new Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) streamlining policy is a smart, proactive move that makes it easier and faster for homeowners to add much-needed homes in their own backyards. Under the new program, eligible homeowners can now receive ADU permits in a week or less—making Campbell the fastest city in Santa Clara County for ADU approvals. With a dedicated planning team reviewing up to two applications each week, Campbell is clearing the path for more gentle, incremental housing growth. And the results speak for themselves: in 2024 alone, the city approved 70 new ADUs.

This program didn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of commitments Campbell made in its Housing Element—and a strong example of what can come from collaborative planning. The program was shaped through conversations with other cities in the Santa Clara County Planning Collaborative, a regional effort led by the Cities Association of Santa Clara County. Together, these cities are tackling the big question: How can we create more homes in our communities? For smaller cities like Campbell, ADUs offer one of the most promising answers—adding homes on single-family lots without requiring major land use changes or new infrastructure.

We hope Campbell’s leadership inspires others to follow suit. Streamlining permitting is a key piece of the puzzle, but there is more cities can do to support ADU construction—like adopting pre-approved plan sets, creating accessible ADU resource pages online, and launching amnesty programs to bring unpermitted units into compliance. Every backyard home is a step closer to solving our region’s housing shortage. With the right policies in place, cities can empower homeowners to be part of the solution—and help build a future where everyone has a place to call home.