'Work-From-Home' Fee Tacked Onto Pricey ADU In Contra Costa Listing

WALNUT CREEK, CA — A rental listing for a newly built accessory dwelling unit in Walnut Creek is drawing attention online after prospective tenants noticed an unusual condition: an extra monthly charge for working from home.

The listing advertises a furnished, 535-square-foot, one-bedroom cottage in the city's Northgate neighborhood for $3,250 per month.

The rent is more than the U.S. median for a 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 535-square-foot apartment.

But the highlights, according to the listing, include high-end finishes, a private entrance and patio, utilities, Wi-Fi, parking, and easy access to downtown Walnut Creek, BART, hospitals, parks, wineries, and Mount Diablo State Park.

But one line stands out from the rest. "If working from home additional $200 monthly."

The rent includes utilities, including electricity, water, internet, trash service, landscaping, and Wi-Fi, in the monthly rent for the apartment described as "perfectly situated in Walnut Creek's coveted Northgate neighborhood" with nicely designed floor plan, high-end finishes, and an unbeatable location. The apartment even comes with "quiet country beauty, horses, privacy, and convenience."

But the listing does not explain the reason for a work-from-home surcharge, which generated discussion originally reported by ABC7News amid some of the highest housing costs in the nation.

It is unclear whether the listing has been revised or whether the landlord plans to keep the additional monthly charge for remote workers.