Every HABU report is a screening estimate built from public records, current rules, and market evidence. Before you rely on any option — or spend money on one — the facts below must be verified by local agencies and qualified professionals. Your report lists each option's top items; this page is the complete general checklist behind them.
How to use this checklist
Work top to bottom for the option you care about. A screening result can identify a reason to investigate; only project-specific local and professional review can validate a development plan.
Property facts
Start with what is actually on the lot today.
Cosmetic refresh: Confirm the home's current condition, living area, bedroom count, and recent work.
Add a Bedroom: Confirm the home's living area, bedroom count, layout, and existing improvements.
Accessory dwelling unit: Confirm the home's current use and living area, plus any existing permitted or unpermitted ADU or JADU.
SB 9 Lot Split: Confirm the current use and unit count, parcel history, occupancy, tenancy, and existing improvements.
SB 684 small-lot infill: Confirm the current use and unit count, parcel acreage, existing improvements, and parcel history.
Redevelopment: Confirm the current use, unit count, building area, parcel area, and existing improvements or tenants.
Legal and zoning rules
Confirm what the current rules allow.
Cosmetic refresh: Confirm that the planned repair scope does not trigger unresolved permit or use issues.
Add a Bedroom: Confirm the zoning rules for the addition, including how much of the lot a building may cover, how much floor space the lot allows, height limits, and required distances from property lines.
Accessory dwelling unit: Confirm the applicable state or local ADU route, allowed unit count and size, and any Special Planning Area rules.
SB 9 Lot Split: Confirm urban-area status, qualifying zoning, rules protecting existing tenants and historic buildings, parcel history, and, for the selected SB 9 path, any signed promise to live there (SB 9 requires it).
SB 684 small-lot infill: Confirm qualifying multifamily zoning, whether the lot counts as inside the built-up city, acreage and unit limits, rules protecting existing tenants and historic buildings, and the selected small-lot map route.
Redevelopment: Confirm allowed use, density, how much floor space the lot allows, how much of the lot a building may cover, height, stories, required distances from property lines, parking, open space, and any city approval process or Special Planning Area review.
Site and measured plan
Prove the project physically fits.
Cosmetic refresh: Confirm the repair scope and existing building conditions during an on-site inspection.
Add a Bedroom: Verify the area where building is allowed, the connection to the home, access, others' legal rights to use part of the lot, and utilities on a measured plan.
Accessory dwelling unit: Verify a buildable footprint or conversion area, required distances from property lines, access, others' legal rights to use part of the lot, utilities, and fire access on a measured site plan.
SB 9 Lot Split: Verify lot area and dimensions, the 40/60 split where proposed, the areas where building is allowed, access, others' legal rights to use part of the lot, and utilities on a professional site survey.
SB 684 small-lot infill: Verify the proposed lot and unit layout, the areas where building is allowed, access, others' legal rights to use part of the lot, utilities, and fire access on a professional site survey.
Redevelopment: Verify the area where building is allowed, demolition scope, access, parking, open space, others' legal rights to use part of the lot, utilities, and fire access on a professional site survey.
Market value and rent evidence
Check the dollars against real sales and rents.
Cosmetic refresh: Confirm what the home would sell for once fixed up, using current, comparable renovated sales.
Add a Bedroom: Confirm the value difference for the proposed added area and bedroom count with current comparable sales.
Accessory dwelling unit: Confirm achievable rent and sales of homes with permitted ADUs for the selected ADU size and bedroom count.
SB 9 Lot Split: Confirm what a ready-to-build lot sells for, or completed-unit values, for the exact no-split, split-only, or split-plus-build program.
SB 684 small-lot infill: Confirm what a ready-to-build lot sells for, or completed-unit values, for the selected lot count, unit count, size, and stories.
Redevelopment: Confirm completed-unit value or rent for the proposed density, the sizes of the different homes, and whether you'd rent it out or sell it.
Costs and pricing
Price the work with current local evidence.
Cosmetic refresh: Confirm the repair scope, contractor pricing, the costs of owning it while work happens, and sale costs.
Add a Bedroom: Confirm design, permit, construction, utility, and sale costs, plus the costs of owning it while work happens, for the selected addition.
Accessory dwelling unit: Confirm construction, utility, permit, and size-sensitive fee costs for the selected ADU program.
SB 9 Lot Split: Confirm mapping, subdivision, utility, site-work, construction, and sale costs, plus the costs of owning it while work happens, for the selected SB 9 program.
SB 684 small-lot infill: Confirm mapping, subdivision, utility, site-work, construction, and sale costs, plus the costs of owning it while work happens, for the selected SB 684 program.
Redevelopment: Confirm demolition, city-approval, design, utility, site-work, construction, financing, and sale or lease-up costs, plus the costs of owning it while work happens.
Choosing the exact project
Pick one exact configuration before relying on numbers.
Cosmetic refresh: Choose the exact repair scope and finish level to price.
Add a Bedroom: Choose the addition size, bedroom plan, and improve-and-sell or hold strategy.
Accessory dwelling unit: Choose the ADU or JADU size, form, bedroom count, combination, and hold/rent or improve/sell strategy.
SB 9 Lot Split: Choose among a no-split duplex, a 40/60 split only, or a 40/60 split plus build, with the intended unit and lot counts.
SB 684 small-lot infill: Choose the proposed lot count, unit count, average unit size, stories, and improve-and-sell strategy.
Redevelopment: Choose a specific unit count, the sizes of the different homes, building area, height, parking plan, and hold/rent or improve/sell strategy.
Screening disclaimer: HABU does not determine legal eligibility or guarantee approval, physical fit, cost, rent, value, financing, timing, or return. Do not spend money or commit to a project based only on a screen; obtain local-agency and qualified professional review.
Ready to validate a specific option? Nimble Development can confirm the site, program, legal route, utilities, and project economics.