dot.LA Summit: Could New Tech Help Solve LA’s Housing Crisis?

Amrita Khalid
Amrita Khalid is a tech journalist based in Los Angeles, and has written for Quartz, The Daily Dot, Engadget, Inc. Magazine and number of other publications. She got her start in Washington, D.C., covering Congress for CQ-Roll Call. You can send tips or pitches to amrita@dot.la or reach out to her on Twitter at @askhalid.
dot.LA Summit:  Could New Tech Help Solve LA’s Housing Crisis?

It’s no secret that Los Angeles desperately needs more affordable housing — and fast. Los Angeles is aiming to build 500,000 new homes by 2029, roughly 40% of which will be income- restricted housing. In order to achieve that, the city is exploring building more ADUs (also known as accessory dwelling units) and innovations in construction tech to build cheaper and more sustainable housing.


At a dot.LA Summit panel, founders Ross Maguire of Azure Printed Homes and CRATE MODULAR’s Jaren Grady joined the city’s deputy mayor of budget & innovation, Jeanne Holm. The panelists dove into how tech — and particularly ADUs — can solve the city’s dire housing shortage in a way that is both affordable and sustainable.

“Right now, traditional construction contributes to nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions,” said Maguire.

Traditional construction as an industry has been resistant to change. Maguire believes the modular process of building houses off-site has allowed the ADU industry to build using more affordable and sustainable techniques.

For example, Azure Printed Houses 3D-prints its modular units using recycled waste materials. The company focuses on repurposing the materials and making them as cost-efficient as possible. It’s currently capable of printing out 5 housing units a week and is in the middle of fundraising to boost that amount to 15 units per week.

Grady, of CRATE MODULAR — which builds ADUs out of recycled shipping containers — says companies can produce more using modular building techniques.

“The modular process is just a smart way of building,” he said.

The company is currently in the middle of constructing two affordable housing buildings in Los Angeles; McDaniel House, a 47-unit modular building in Koreatown that will be used as permanent affordable housing, and a 4-story modular complex named Dolores Huerta Apartments.

One major obstacle in the ADU industry is shifting consumer perceptions that a modular house is an inferior product.

“In fact, it’s the opposite,” said Grady. Modular housing is also more adaptive to different environments.

But will the public embrace new types of housing? Deputy Mayor Jeanne Holm believes the pandemic and the shift to remote work may have altered how people view their homes. “This idea of where you work and where you live,” she says, “and how that space is used has changed for people.”

Holm noted that roughly 14% of L.A.’s land is devoted to automobiles, leading to minimum parking space requirements and other city regulations. But cultural changes like remote working and younger people less drawn to car ownership could lead to L.A. issuing new regulations.

“Maybe we don’t need to regulate the same way.”

Ross Maguire believes there’s a cultural shift that will lead to more people embracing smaller spaces.

“I feel like as a society, we’re more overwhelmed by choice and by space, and you kind of see with the tiny home market that people are ready to declutter, move into smaller spaces and keep life kind of simple,” said Maguire.

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LA’s Upgrade in Travel and NBA Viewing
Image Source: Los Angeles World Airports

🔦 Spotlight

Exciting developments are underway for Los Angeles as the city prepares for major upgrades in both travel and entertainment. The Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners has approved an additional $400 million for the Automated People Mover (APM) at LAX, increasing its total budget to $3.34 billion. This boost ensures the elevated train’s completion by December 8, 2025, with service starting in January 2026. For Angelenos, this means a significant improvement in travel convenience. The APM will streamline connections between parking, rental car facilities, and the new Metro transit station, drastically cutting traffic congestion around the airport. Imagine a future without the dreaded 30-minute traffic delays at LAX! The APM will operate 24/7, reducing airport traffic by 42 million vehicle miles annually and carrying 30 million passengers each year, while also creating thousands of local jobs and supporting small businesses.

Meanwhile, the NBA is also making waves with its new broadcasting deals. The league has signed multi-year agreements with ESPN, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video, marking a notable shift in media partnerships. ESPN will maintain its long-standing role, NBC returns as a network broadcaster after years away, and Amazon Prime Video will provide NBA games through its streaming platform. Starting with the 2025-2026 season, these deals will enhance the league's reach and revenue, aligning with the NBA's goal to expand its audience and adapt to evolving viewing habits. Whether you're catching the action on TV or streaming online, these changes promise to elevate the fan experience and bring more basketball excitement to Los Angeles.


🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

  • Pearl, a startup that makes AI-powered software that assists dentists in identifying cavities, gum disease, and other dental conditions, raised a $58M Series B funding led by Left Lane Capital with Smash Capital, and others also participating. - learn more

LA Venture Funds

  • Fulcrum Venture Group participated in a prior $3.5M Pre-Seed Round for Code Metal, a developer tools startup. - learn more
  • B Capital co-led a $12.5M Seed Round for Star Catcher, a startup that aims to develop a space-based grid that captures solar energy in space and distributes it to satellites and other space assets. - learn more
  • Mantis VC and Amplify participated in a $140M Series C for Chainguard, an open source security startup. - learn more
  • Prominent LA venture capitalist, Carter Reum and wife, Paris Hilton, participated in a $14M Seed/Series A for W, the men’s personal care brand from Jake Paul. - learn more

LA Exits


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🤫 The Secret to Staying Fit at Your Desk: 6 Essential Under-Desk Exercise Machines

Health experts are sounding the alarm: our sedentary jobs are slowly killing us, yet we can't abandon our desks if we want to keep the lights on. It feels like we're caught between a rock and a hard place. Enter under-desk exercise machines – the overlooked heroes (albeit kind of goofy looking) of the modern workspace. These devices let tech professionals stay active, enhance their health, and increase their productivity, all without stepping away from their screens. Here are 6 fantastic options that will enhance the way you work and workout simultaneously.

DeskCycle Under Desk Bike Pedal Exerciser

This bike has nearly ten thousand five-star reviews on amazon. It works with nearly any desk/chair setup. It is quiet, sturdy and allows up to 40 pounds of resistance. If you are looking for an under-desk bike this is a fantastic option.

Type: Under-Desk Bike

Price: $180 - $200


Sunny Health & Fitness Dual Function Under Desk Pedal Exerciser

This under-desk bike is extremely quiet due to the magnetic resistance making it an ideal option if you work in a shared space. It doesn’t slip, has eight levels of resistance, and the option to work legs and arms. It’s about half the price of the DeskCycle bike making it a solid mid-range option for those looking to increase their daily activity.

Type: Under-Desk Bike

Price: $100 - $110


Sunny Health & Fitness Sitting Under Desk Elliptical

This under-desk elliptical comes in multiple colors if you really want to underscore that you are a quirky individual, in case an under-desk elliptical isn’t enough. This model is a bit heavy (very sturdy), has eight different resistance levels, and has more than nine thousand 5-star reviews.

Type: Under-Desk Elliptical

Price: $120 - $230


DeskCycle Ellipse Leg Exerciser

This under-desk elliptical is another great option. It is a bit pricey but it’s quiet, well-made and has eight resistance levels. It also syncs with your apple watch or fitbit which is a very large perk for those office-wide “step” challenges. Get ready to win.

Type: Under-Desk Elliptical

Price: $220 - $230


Daeyegim Quiet LED Remote Treadmill

If you have a standing desk and are looking to walk and work this is a fantastic option. This walking-only treadmill allows you to walk between 0.5 to 5 mph (or jog unless you have the stride length of an NBA forward). It is very quiet, which is perfect if you want to use it near others or during a meeting. You can’t change the incline or fold it in half but it is great for simply getting in some extra steps during the work day.

Type: Under-Desk Treadmill

Price: $220 - $230


Sunny Health & Fitness Foldable Manual Treadmill

This under-desk treadmill isn’t the most premium model but it is affordable and has an impressive array of features. It is a manual treadmill meaning it doesn’t need to be plugged in; it is foldable and offers an incline up to 13%. I personally can’t imagine working and walking up a 13% incline but if that sounds like your cup of tea, then I truly respect the hustle.

Type: Under-Desk Treadmill

Price: $150 - $200




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🤠Musk Picks Texas and 🔥Tinder AI Picks Your Profile Pictures

🔦 Spotlight

Tinder is altering dating profile creation with its new AI-powered Photo Selector feature, designed to help users choose their most appealing dating profile pictures. This innovative tool employs facial recognition technology to curate a set of up to 10 photos from the user's device, streamlining the often time-consuming process of profile setup. To use the feature, users simply take a selfie within the Tinder app and grant access to their camera roll. The AI then analyzes the photos based on factors like lighting and composition, drawing from Tinder's research on what makes an effective profile picture.

The selection process occurs entirely on the user's device, ensuring privacy and data security. Tinder doesn't collect or store any biometric data or photos beyond those chosen for the profile, and the facial recognition data is deleted once the user exits the feature. This new tool addresses a common pain point for users, as Tinder's research shows that young singles typically spend about 25 to 33 minutes selecting a profile picture. By automating this process, Tinder aims to reduce profile creation time and allow users to focus more on making meaningful connections.

In wholly unrelated news, Elon Musk has announced plans to relocate the headquarters of X (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX from California to Texas. SpaceX will move from Hawthorne to Starbase, while X will shift from San Francisco to Austin. Musk cited concerns about aggressive drug users near X's current headquarters and a new California law regarding gender identity notification in schools as reasons for the move. This decision follows Musk's previous relocation of Tesla's headquarters to Texas in 2021.

🤝 Venture Deals

LA Companies

LA Venture Funds

LA Exits

  • Penguin Random House agreed to acquire comic book publisher Boom! Studios from backers like Walt Disney Co. - learn more

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