The City’s accessory dwelling units (ADU) regulations were recently updated, by Ordinance 125854, and went into effect on August 8, 2019. The updated regulations removed the owner occupancy requirement for ADUs.
Previously, the Land Use code required a recorded owner occupancy covenant before SDCI issued a permit for an ADU. Since the owner occupancy covenant is no longer required, SDCI will not enforce it on previously permitted ADUs.
Property owners may want to formally release the owner occupancy covenant from their property for their records. They can do so by completing a Release of Owner Occupancy Covenant for Accessory Dwelling Units form and recording it directly with the King County Recorder’s Office. An SDCI permit is not required to release the owner occupancy covenant from a property.
The release form is available on SDCI’s Accessory Dwelling Unit webpage or Forms page. Hard copies are also available in the ASC.
For additional information, please contact:
Tina Capestany
(206) 233-2170
tina.capestany@seattle.gov