Public ADU information is only useful when it is easy to find, source-backed, and kept reasonably current. Unfortunately, local ADU plan programs can be scattered across city pages, county PDFs, provider catalogs, planning portals, archived documents, and building department updates.
That makes research difficult for homeowners. It also makes it harder for providers, city staff, and housing advocates to point people toward reliable information.
If you know about an official ADU plan program that is missing from a public directory, you can help improve the data. ADU Plan Finder includes a submission process for official city, county, provider, or plan source links that can be reviewed for possible inclusion.
Why missing ADU data matters
A missing local program can cause several problems.
Homeowners may assume no pre-approved plans exist in their area. Providers may receive fewer relevant inquiries. City staff may answer the same basic questions repeatedly. Local housing advocates may have trouble sharing accurate resources.
When public data is organized well, homeowners can start with better questions:
- Does my city have a pre-approved ADU plan program?
- Which plans are listed?
- Which providers are connected?
- What official source supports the listing?
- What local verification is still required?
Better data does not guarantee a faster permit, but it can improve the first phase of research.
What kind of source should be submitted?
The best submission is not a rumor, screenshot, or outdated social media post. It is a direct official source.
Useful sources may include:
- A city ADU program page.
- A county ADU plan catalog.
- An official PDF.
- A provider-linked page referenced by a public program.
- A government planning or building department page.
- A public plan list with plan names and providers.
- A source that clearly shows accepted locations or program status.
The ADU Plan Finder submit page asks for official city, county, provider, or plan source links before adding information to the directory. Submitting a source does not guarantee inclusion, but it gives the data review process a better starting point.
Who can submit a missing program?
Several groups can help:
Homeowners can submit official program pages they find while researching their own ADU project.
City or county staff can submit public program pages so homeowners have a clearer path to local resources.
Architects, designers, and prefab companies can submit official plan or provider-linked sources when their plans are publicly listed.
Housing advocates and researchers can help identify missing local programs and improve public access to information.
The common requirement is simple: submit source-backed information whenever possible.
What information helps during review?
A strong submission should include:
- The official source URL.
- City, county, and state.
- Plan or provider names exactly as listed.
- Program name, if available.
- Notes about whether the source is a city page, county page, PDF, provider source, or other public record.
- Any context about accepted locations or plan status.
The clearer the submission, the easier it is to review.
Why corrections are just as important as new submissions
Public information changes. A city may update its ADU page. A provider may change a plan name. A plan may be removed, revised, or newly accepted. Fees and permit notes may also change.
That is why directories need correction channels as well as submission forms. If you find an outdated record, use the ADU Plan Finder corrections page and include an official source URL whenever possible.
Accurate corrections help prevent homeowners from relying on stale information.
Transparency builds trust
ADU Plan Finder’s public data transparency page explains how the directory organizes public city, county, and state ADU source material into searchable plan, provider, and jurisdiction pages. It also explains the importance of official sources, accepted-versus-origin logic, and showing missing data honestly instead of guessing.
That transparency matters because ADU decisions can be expensive. Homeowners need to know where information came from and what it cannot guarantee.
Help make ADU research easier
Public ADU data gets better when people share official sources. If your city has a program that is missing, or if you find a plan source that should be reviewed, submit it.
Start with the ADU Plan Finder submit page and provide the most direct official source available. A better public directory can help homeowners discover local options, compare plan records, and verify details before starting an application.
Good ADU research begins with good public information. If you have a source, share it.
Originally published via ADU Plan Finder — a free directory of pre-approved ADU floor plans for US homeowners.
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