Chapter 23.24 — SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY (SRO)

The purpose of this chapter is to expand the mix of affordable housing opportunities within the city. (Ord. O-2013-03 § 8, 2013)

“Single room occupancy (SRO)” means an efficiency unit that: (1) is occupied as a primary residence; and (2) is subject to State Landlord Tenant Law pursuant to Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1940) of Title 5 of Part 4 of Division 3 of the California Civil Code. The term also includes a unit in an “SRO project” as described in California Code of Regulations, Title 4, Section 10325(g)(3) . (Ord. O-2013-03 § 8, 2013)

Single room occupancy units shall be a permitted use in the “R-3” – high density multiple-family district up to thirty (30) units and subject to a use permit for thirty-one (31) units and above and “C-2” – community commercial district, as part of a mixed-use project with ground floor retail/office spaces subject to a use permit. All use permit approvals shall be pursuant to Chapter 23.87 of this Title 23 . (Ord. O-2013-03 § 8, 2013)

Single room occupancy (SRO) units shall conform to the following requirements:

• (1) Occupancy shall be limited to a maximum of two (2) persons per unit. Minimum unit sizes (not including toilet compartment) shall be:

  • (a) One (1) person: one hundred fifty (150) square feet.

  • (b) Two (2) persons: one hundred seventy-five (175) square feet.

• (2) Each SRO unit shall be provided with the following minimum amenities:

  • (a) Kitchen sink with a garbage disposal.

  • (b) A toilet and sink located in a separate room within the unit that is a minimum twenty (20) square feet.

  • (c) One (1) closet per person.

  • (d) Telephone and cable TV hookups.

• (3) At a minimum, if full bathrooms are not provided in each unit, shared showers shall be provided on each floor at a ratio of one (1) per seven (7) occupants or fraction thereof on the same floor, with doors that are lockable from the inside.

• (4) If full kitchens are not provided in each unit, shared kitchen facilities shall be provided on each floor consisting of a range, sink with garbage disposal and refrigerator.

• (5) At a minimum, if laundry facilities are not provided in each unit, common laundry facilities shall be provided with one (1) washer and one (1) dryer for every twenty-five (25) units for the first 100 units and one (1) washer and one (1) dryer for every fifty (50) units over one hundred (100).

• (6) Elevators shall be required for SROs of two (2) or more stories.

• (7) A manual fire alarm system and a fully automatic fire suppression system, including a central monitoring system, alarm and fire annunciator, shall be designed and installed to the satisfaction of the fire chief.

• (Ord. O-2013-03 § 8, 2013)