Backyard Builds in Wine Country: How Temecula and Murrieta Are Quietly Embracing ADUs

Tucked into the rolling hills and vineyards of Southwest Riverside County, Temecula and Murrieta might not be the first places that come to mind when discussing accessory dwelling units (ADUs). These two cities, often seen as suburban enclaves for families, retirees, and commuters, are quietly becoming fertile ground for a housing solution that’s rapidly growing across California: the backyard home.

While their ADU permitting numbers don’t yet rival those of urban counterparts like Los Angeles or San Diego, the opportunity—and the demand—is increasingly hard to ignore. With generous lot sizes, a maturing population, and rising interest in multigenerational living, Temecula and Murrieta may be poised for an ADU boom. But that growth also comes with unique rural-suburban challenges: from infrastructure constraints and wildfire risk to tension between short-term rentals and long-term affordability.

In this post, we’ll look at how these cities are handling ADU regulation, what’s enabling (and limiting) local uptake, and how ADUs could play a crucial role in addressing Southwest Riverside’s future housing needs.

Room to Build: Why Southwest Riverside Is Prime for ADUs

Unlike many older, denser cities in California, Temecula and Murrieta offer what many urban homeowners lack: space. With zoning that favors single-family homes on quarter- to half-acre lots—and even larger properties in surrounding unincorporated areas—these communities have a built-in physical advantage for adding detached ADUs.

Homeowners have space for stand-alone backyard units without triggering massive design compromises or crowding. Detached garages, side yards, and rear setbacks in many subdivisions leave room for 400–1,000 sq. ft. second units that can be used for family, rental income, or caregivers.

That kind of flexibility matters, especially for the area’s growing retiree population.

Aging in Place—and On-Site

Temecula and Murrieta have long been attractive retirement destinations, offering a sunny climate, a relatively affordable cost of living (compared to coastal counties), and access to both healthcare and nature. According to the U.S. Census, more than 15% of residents in Murrieta are now over the age of 60, and that share is climbing.

For older homeowners, ADUs represent an alternative to institutional living or out-of-town relocation. A detached ADU in the backyard can house a caregiver, a family member, or even serve as a downsized residence for the homeowner—allowing adult children to move into the main house. This “swap” model is increasingly popular and allows for aging in place while maintaining independence and privacy.

In Temecula, which has a similar demographic profile, these intergenerational living arrangements are becoming a quiet trend. Many local architects and builders report rising inquiries from baby boomers interested in ADUs not just as income generators, but as a family support strategy.

Permitting: Low Numbers, High Potential

Despite the spatial advantages and demand drivers, actual permitting volume in both cities remains relatively modest. Murrieta permitted only about two dozen ADUs in 2022, and Temecula issued even fewer, according to city planning data and regional housing reports.

So what’s holding back broader adoption?

For one, public awareness is still catching up to the policy changes. While California law now allows ADUs by-right in most residential zones and preempts many local restrictions, many homeowners still assume that building an ADU is a bureaucratic or logistical impossibility. Outreach efforts in Southwest Riverside have been slower and more fragmented than in larger cities.

Second, local permitting processes—while compliant with state law—haven’t yet been optimized for scale. Unlike cities like San Diego or San Jose, which offer pre-approved plan sets and online application portals, Temecula and Murrieta still rely on more traditional review procedures. That slows down processing times and raises costs for homeowners, particularly those without experience navigating planning and building departments.

Lastly, utility connections and fire safety requirements can add complexity—especially in unincorporated areas or neighborhoods on the edge of wildland-urban interface zones. Septic systems, power lines, and emergency vehicle access can all impact feasibility and cost.

Short-Term Rentals vs. Long-Term Needs

A growing wrinkle in the region’s ADU story is the role of short-term rentals (STRs). Temecula’s wine country allure has fueled a local Airbnb economy, with hundreds of listings available in and around the city. And increasingly, newly built ADUs are being marketed for vacation stays rather than long-term rentals or family housing.

This has sparked concern from housing advocates and some city council members. In response, Temecula has tightened STR rules in residential zones and is considering additional caps or permitting requirements that could apply to ADUs. Murrieta has fewer STRs overall but has also seen an uptick in inquiries about using new ADUs for nightly rentals.

From a housing policy standpoint, this trend raises a critical question: Will ADUs in Southwest Riverside help address the region’s housing shortage—or simply become a new branch of the tourism economy?

To strike a balance, cities may need to follow the lead of places like Santa Cruz and Ojai, which have created “housing-use only” clauses for ADUs that benefit from streamlined permitting or fee reductions.

Opportunities for Reform and Support

If Temecula and Murrieta want to see more ADUs used for housing families, seniors, and workers—not just vacationers—they’ll likely need to follow several best practices emerging across California:

• Create a pre-approved plan library to help homeowners choose from vetted designs and reduce architectural costs.
  
  
• Launch an ADU Navigator program or one-stop permitting guide tailored for local conditions.
  
  
• Offer incentives for deed-restricted affordable ADUs (e.g., fee waivers or expedited review).
  
  
• Partner with local banks or credit unions to promote ADU financing for homeowners with equity but limited cash.
  
  

With these tools, the cities can build on their existing strengths—lot sizes, demographic need, and development flexibility—to become ADU leaders in the Inland Empire.

Conclusion: A Quiet ADU Frontier

Temecula and Murrieta may not yet be ADU hotspots by the numbers, but they are uniquely positioned to lead a different kind of infill revolution—one rooted in space, multigenerational family life, and quiet suburban resilience.

As California continues to search for middle-ground solutions between sprawl and density, the backyard build may become the preferred compromise. And in the wine country valleys and cul-de-sacs of Southwest Riverside County, that future is starting to take shape—one second unit at a time.

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