Permitting a kitchen addition in San Diego

[James Tiu]

Hello BP members,

I have purchased a 1400 sq foot 4bedroom 2bathroom duplex in San Diego. Each unit is approximately 700sq feet and 2bedrooms/1bathroom. It is going through a major renovation/rehabilitation and a permitted addition of 720sq feet and 2bedroom/1bathroom. I wanted to add an ADU initially but my initial lender said an ADU was not allowed in the FHA 203k loan. When the loan was sold and serviced by a different lender, they had no opposition to an ADU. I tried pivoting to have the addition set up to an ADU but the funding would be short. If I had gone with an ADU in the initial phase of the plan, I most likely would have an ADU now and I would not be asking this question.

That leads me to this question: Has anyone applied for a kitchen addition permit in San Diego? I would like to add a kitchen to the 720sq foot addition that is being adding to this duplex. The reason I am asking is because I would like to turn this addition into it's own in-law suite/space and a permitted kitchen would be the way to accomplish it.

If anyone has experience adding a kitchen addition permit in San Diego please let me know. Or if anyone in San Diego could direct me where to apply for such a permit, I would greatly appreciate the guidance. If this would not be permissible or permittable in San Diego also let me know.

As always, thank you BP.

[Matthew Porcaro]

@James Tiu

ADU is ABSOLUTELY allowed with an FHA 203k. Just wanted to clarify that.

Your first lender either seems lazy or misinformed.

There's lenders that are specializing in ADU financing via renovation loans. The ADU rezoning that was applied this year has had a huge impact on the renovation lending industry it California.