Mailing address for nonconforming guest house?

Question

Hi all, I'm considering buying a SFR with a guest house out back that is currently used by the owner's son. Owner and son moving out after sale. It's not an official ADU/JADU so due to San Diego rules, it doesn't qualify for its own address. I don't want to convert it to an ADU because I actually want to add an ADU + JADU for a total of 4 units, then rent all 4 out.

I've seen units around town that seem to be flying under the radar with addresses like "1/2" or "#A" which are not technically valid in this area of San Diego. It seems like the mail deliveryman learns that "#A" is the back unit and starts dropping off mail there.

Has anyone else run into this? I don't see a path to an official address (guest quarters are not eligible for separate addresses in SD) so looking for creative solutions. Thanks.

Kit Serrell · Answer

I have heard a couple of people just make the tenants get P.O. boxes. Depending on your location, they are free or like $10-20 per month.

Its a little inconveneient for the tenant becuase you have to go pick up your mail but if your tenant had amazon deliveries or needs an address for employment purposes they can still use a physical address such as the "#A" or "1/2" that you mentioned. You would just put up a visbile house number so delivery drivers could differentiate.

Dan H. · Answer

You can have a central/common mailbox used by the mailman and separate tenant mailboxes for each tenant.   The tenant that gets the mail out of the common mailbox distributes the mail that is not theirs to the tenant mailbox.

The new ADU regulation (start 2023) that indicates they cannot withhold the ADU authorization to force you to address issues unrelated to the ADU, do you know if this covers a non-conforming unit?

Good luck

Nate Wiger · Answer

Thanks both. @Dan Heuschele I think you're referring to the improved 2023 rules that building an ADU can't trigger the remedy of unrelated issues. I don't think this would help me with the mailing address but would ensure I don't need to bring the guest house up to current code.