YCD Studio
Journal

Field notes on building better.

Your Garage Sits on the Property Line. Here's Why That's Usually Okay.
LatestResidential

Your Garage Sits on the Property Line. Here's Why That's Usually Okay.

If you're thinking about turning an old garage into an ADU, there's a good chance someone has already told you it won't work: the garage is right on the fence line, zero setback, no room to spare. It sounds like a dealbreaker. Most of the time, it isn't.

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Recent essays

San Francisco Multi-Family Development in 2026: SB 423, the New Fee Cuts, and What Finally Pencils
Multi-Family8 min read

San Francisco Multi-Family Development in 2026: SB 423, the New Fee Cuts, and What Finally Pencils

On July 21, 2026, San Francisco approved a landmark package: no inclusionary requirement under 25 units, a 5% on-site rate above it, and a permanent 67% cut to development impact fees. Combined with SB 423 ministerial approval, the math on small and mid-size multi-family projects just changed in a way it has not in decades.

How to Legalize an Unpermitted ADU in Oakland: Amnesty, AB 2533, and the Full-Permit Path
Residential9 min read

How to Legalize an Unpermitted ADU in Oakland: Amnesty, AB 2533, and the Full-Permit Path

If your Oakland ADU was built before January 1, 2020, you may qualify for AB 2533's limited-scope legalization — corrections keyed to health and safety, not a full rebuild to current code, with impact fees generally waived. If you can't prove the date, plan for the full building-code path. Here's how the two routes actually work.

ADU Cost in Oakland 2026: What You'll Actually Pay, Neighborhood by Neighborhood
Residential11 min read

ADU Cost in Oakland 2026: What You'll Actually Pay, Neighborhood by Neighborhood

Most permitted Oakland ADUs land between roughly $200,000 and $450,000 all-in in 2026 — and where your lot sits matters more than almost anything else. The flats-vs-hills breakdown, real permit and EBMUD fee numbers, and the savings levers Oakland actually gives you.

Change of Use vs. Change of Occupancy in San Francisco: The Distinction That Decides Your Permit Track
Tenant Improvement8 min read

Change of Use vs. Change of Occupancy in San Francisco: The Distinction That Decides Your Permit Track

Change of use is a Planning Code concept. Change of occupancy is a Building Code concept. They sometimes coincide; they often don't. Knowing which one your project actually triggers determines whether the permit clears in days or weeks — and it's a design decision, not an afterthought.

From the archive