Design, Bitches
Looking to Build a Granny Flat in Your Backyard? Meet the Firms and Designs Pre-Approved in LA
Adding a backyard home in Los Angeles is now nearly as easy as buying a barbecue.
Homeowners who for years have wanted to build a granny flat in their backyard, but dreaded the red tape, can now choose from 20 pre-designed homes that the city has already approved for use.
The shift, made official last week, will speed up a weeks-long process and bring more badly needed units to an overpriced market. It also has the potential to elevate the 14 startups and firms building the next generation of homes.
The designs for the stand-alone residences range from a 200-square-foot studio to a 1,200-square foot, two-story, two-bedroom unit. And many of the homes are filled with design flourishes, reflecting the diverse architecture of the city, from a house in the silhouette of a flower to one with a spiral outdoor staircase leading to the roof.
It's no surprise. The program was spearheaded by Christopher Hawthorne, a former architecture critic at the Los Angeles Times and now the city's chief design officer.
The firms are primarily local and startup architecture and design firms, while others are well-known with a history of building granny flats, also know as accessory dwelling units, or ADUs.
The standard plans avoid the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety's typical four-to six-week review process and can allow approvals to be completed in as quickly as one day.
Some aspects of the plans can be modified to fit a homeowner's preferences. Eight other designs are pending approval.
Mayor Eric Garcetti believes by adding more such units, the city can diversify its housing supply and tackle the housing crisis. Recent state legislation made it easier to build the small homes on the lot of single-family residences. Since then, ADUs have made up nearly a quarter of Los Angeles' newly permitted housing units.
Because construction costs are relatively low for the granny flats – the pre-approved homes start at $144,000 and can go beyond $300,000 – the housing is generally more affordable. The median home price in L.A. County in January was $690,000.
Here's a quick look at the designs approved so far:
Abodu
Abodu
Abodu, based in Redwood City in the Bay Area, exclusively designs backyard homes. In 2019, it worked with the city of San Jose on a program similar to the one Los Angeles is undertaking.
In October, it closed a seed funding round of $3.5 million led by Initialized Capital.
It has been approved for a one-story 340-square-foot studio, a one-story one-bedroom at 500 square feet, and a one-story, 610-square-foot two-bedroom.
The pricing for the studio is $189,900, while the one-bedroom costs $199,900 and the two-bedroom is $259,900.
Amunátegui Valdés Architects
Connect Homes
Design, Bitches
Escher GuneWardena Architecture
First Office
Fung + Blatt Architects
Fung + Blatt Architects is a Los Angeles-based firm founded in 1990.
The city has approved its 795-square-foot, one-story, one-bedroom unit with a roof deck. It estimates the construction cost to be $240,000 to $300,000, excluding landscape, site work and the solar array. Homeowners can also expect other additional costs.
Taalman Architecture/ IT House Inc.
LA Más
Jennifer Bonner/MALL
Massachusetts-based Jennifer Bonner/MALL designed a "Lean-to ADU" project, reinterpreting the stucco box and exaggerated false front, both Los Angeles architectural mainstays.
The design has been approved for a 525-square-foot one-story, one-bedroom unit with a 125-square-foot roof deck.
sekou cooke STUDIO
New York-based sekou cooke STUDIO is the sole Black-owned architectural firm on the project.
"The twisted forms of this ADU recalls the spin and scratch of a DJ's records" from the early 90s, the firm said.
Its design, still pending approval, is for a 1,200-square-foot, two bedroom and two bathroom can be adapted to a smaller one-bedroom unit or to include an additional half bath.
SO-IL
New York-based SO-IL was founded in 2008. It has completed projects in Leon, Seoul, Lisbon and Brooklyn.
Its one-story, one-bedroom 693-square-foot unit is pending approval. It is estimated the construction cost will be between $200,000 and $250,000.
WELCOME PROJECTS
Los Angeles-based Welcome Projects has worked on projects ranging from buildings, houses and interiors to handbags, games and toys.
Its ADU is nicknamed The Breadbox "for its curved topped walls and slight resemblance to that vintage counter accessory."
It has been approved for a one-story, one-bedroom 560-square-foot unit.
wHY Architecture
Firms that want to participate in the program can learn more here . Angelenos interested in building a standard ADU plan can learn more the approved projects here.
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If you or someone you know has been impacted, there are resources available to help navigate this difficult time:
- LA County Wildfire Recovery Resources: Access here
- City of Los Angeles Recovery Resources: Access here
- Eaton Fire Damage Maps: View here
- Pacific Palisades Fire Damage Maps: View here
These tools can provide support, whether you’re looking for financial assistance, housing resources, or updates on affected areas.
While our community focuses on recovery, we’re also reminded of what makes LA unique: its unrelenting drive to build, create, and innovate. A great example this week comes from Whatnot, the live shopping platform co-founded in 2019 by Grant LaFontaine and Logan Head, which has just achieved a major milestone.
Whatnot announced it raised $265 million in Series E funding, valuing the company at an impressive $5 billion.
For those unfamiliar, Whatnot combines shopping and entertainment through live-streamed auctions. Think of it as a vibrant, interactive marketplace where sellers showcase everything from trading cards and collectibles to fashion items, all in real time. Buyers can bid during the stream, creating a sense of excitement and connection that feels more personal than traditional online shopping.
The company’s new funding—co-led by Greycroft, DST Global, and Avra Capital—will drive expansion into markets like Australia and bring improvements to seller tools, from inventory management to advanced analytics. But what stands out most is Whatnot’s focus on its people. CEO Grant LaFontaine announced plans to buy back $72 million in shares for long-term employees, a move that underscores the company’s dedication to sharing its success.
As we move forward, let’s celebrate stories like these that show how innovation thrives in LA—even amid challenges. Whether it’s supporting wildfire recovery, building the next great startup, or simply connecting with others, we each play a role in shaping the spirit of our city.
🤝 Venture Deals
LA Companies
- Phase Four, a leader in advanced in-space propulsion systems, announced the first close of its Series C funding round, securing nearly 60% of the target raise, led by Artemis Group Capital, to ramp up production of its Valkyrie Hall Effect Thrusters to at least 250 units annually and develop cutting-edge propulsion technologies for defense and national security needs. - learn more
- Proper, a next-generation supplement brand launched by fitness entrepreneur Amanda Kloots, secured investment from Ben Bennett's Beauty Accelerator, The Center, to redefine the supplement industry with innovative, nutrient-focused wellness solutions tailored for modern lifestyles. - learn more
LA Venture Funds
- Sound Ventures participated in a $17M funding round for Reshop, a platform simplifying the returns process for consumers and merchants, with plans to use the funds to enhance their technology and expand their services. - learn more
- LFX Venture Partners participated in a $30M strategic funding round for Shippeo, a Paris-based company specializing in real-time multimodal supply chain transportation visibility; the funds will support Shippeo's global expansion, particularly across North America and the Asia-Pacific region. - learn more
- Amboy Street Ventures participated in a $15M Series A+ funding round for Granata Bio, a biotechnology company focused on developing advanced gene therapies; the proceeds will be used to accelerate the development of their pipeline and expand their research capabilities. - learn more
- BAM Ventures participated in a $700,000 seed funding round for MX Locker, an online marketplace for buying and selling motocross gear and parts; the company plans to use the proceeds to enhance its platform and expand its user base. - learn more
- Crosscut Ventures participated in a $7.15M seed funding round for SoloPulse, an Atlanta-based company developing advanced radar technology; the funds will be used to enhance their product development and expand market reach. - learn more
- Alexandria Venture Investments participated in a $100M Series C funding round for Umoja Biopharma, a Seattle-based immunotherapy startup developing in vivo CAR T-cell therapies for cancer; the proceeds will support the advancement of their treatment pipeline. - learn more
- Starburst Ventures participated in Loft Orbital’s $170M Series C funding round, bringing the San Francisco-based satellite infrastructure provider’s total capital raised to $280 million, with the funds aimed at accelerating their "condosat" missions to simplify and expand access to space. - learn more
- Overture VC participated in a $100M Series B funding round for Harbinger, a Southern California-based electric vehicle company specializing in medium-duty EVs; the funds will be used to accelerate the production of their electric vehicle platforms. - learn more
- Muse Capital and Time BioVentures participated in an $18M Series A funding round for Conceivable Life Sciences, a New York-based biotech company developing the world's first AI-powered automated IVF lab; the funds will support their ongoing commercial pilot program in Mexico City and preparations for a U.S. launch targeted for early 2026. - learn more
- B Capital Group participated in a $25M Series B funding round for Labviva, a Boston-based AI-driven procurement platform for life sciences; the funds will be used to accelerate product development, enhance marketing and customer support, and expand internationally. - learn more
- Focalpoint Partners participated in a seed funding round for Kerna Labs, a San Francisco-based AI biotechnology company focused on advancing mRNA payload design for new therapies, with the funds supporting operational expansion and development efforts. - learn more
LA Exits
- Intracom Systems, a pioneer in software-based communication solutions, has been acquired by IPC, a global leader in trading communications technology, to enhance IPC's SaaS communications offerings for the financial services industry. - learn more
- Adexa, a provider of advanced supply chain planning solutions, has been acquired by Eyelit Technologies to enhance its Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) offerings and expand its market presence. - learn more
- Caramel, a platform specializing in simplifying online vehicle transactions, has been acquired by eBay to enhance its offerings for secure and streamlined automotive buying and selling experiences. - learn more
- ImaginAb, a biotechnology company specializing in antibody-based imaging and therapeutic solutions, has been acquired by Telix Pharmaceuticals to expand its next-generation therapeutic assets and biologics technology platform. - learn more
- Sleepypod, a global leader in crash-test-certified safety harnesses and carriers for pets, has been acquired by Paw Prosper to enhance its commitment to pet well-being and expand its portfolio of innovative pet safety solutions. - learn more
Midjourney/Dall-E
At the “smart” bus stop I press a button and an AI swiftly triangulates incoming Metro Los Angeles GIS (Geographic Information System) data before a synthesized voice reads out wait times. I jump on the bus when it arrives, using my Tap card to pay the fare and grab a seat, plugging my charger into the (under seat) USB port. Thanks to the bus’s persistent WiFi signal en route, I pull up the latest technology report from the Harvard Business Review, courtesy of the L.A. Public Library, and start making notes.
Twenty minutes later and I'm the first one walking into my co-working space. As soon as I swipe my entry card the centralized system detects a change in the motion sensor network. It then turns on the lights, ambient music, and HVAC (heating, ventilation and AC) , ensuring the building remains energy efficient and to code when unoccupied.
Midjourney/Dall-E
The 2028 Plan
In December 2020, when the SmartLA 2028 city plan was released by (the now former) Mayor Garcetti’s office, this sort of scenario felt far-off.
But it’s all there in the document: a plan to turn L.A. from reliance on fossil fuels and cars and into a data-driven connected city, which addresses the digital divide and brings fresh ideas, including telehealth, clean tech and a switch to mass transit.
What no one knew, when they started working on this plan back in 2019, was a global pandemic was on its way. It took that pandemic to throw everyone into a digital-ready future earlier than (everyone) expected. But here we are.
“Throughout the crisis, digital tools have emerged as a critical lifeline for our society,” notes the SmartLA 2028 city plan. “Enabling contact-free essential services, accelerated medical solutions, artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted policy making, protest coordination through social media, real-time community engagement and a scale and pace of innovation previously unthinkable.”
LA and the Future of Everything
Let’s back up a moment, to the 1950s when L.A. first looked like The Future to the rest of the world.
Post-war industries flourished here. The Federal-Aid Highway Act (1956) ushered in the freeway system and cars poured off the manufacturing lots. Cold War NASA missions heralded an aerospace boom. The Case Study House Program showcased prefabricated components and modern appliances. Bold sci-fi style buildings such as The Chemosphere House (1960) and LAX’s Theme Building (1961) materialized on the landscape. L.A. County’s population tripled between 1940 (2.7 million) to over 6 million by 1960.
In 2023, our population is now north of 10 million and, as a result, this new L.A. Future plan is less about appearances, and more about a skillful cloud-based hyper-connectivity providing a vast mesh of advanced technologies which aim to make this city sustainable, livable and equitable for all.
Sure, we’ve got Big Tech from Up North on our doorstep. The FAANG companies (Facebook, Apple etc.) have carved out nearly 6 million square footage of L.A. westside alone, and obviously they contribute massively to our economy. But a fairer L.A. will depend less on unicorns (startups with a $1 billion valuation before public listing) and more on a needs-based cohesive approach to innovation, drawing on the best resources from academic institutions, updating local government departments across the board, and bringing both the venture capital community and its well-funded startups into alliance with real-world requirements.
Along these lines, Miki Reynolds, CEO and co-founder of Grid110, the L.A. tech hub, wants to ensure a spirit of egalitarianism is carried through into L.A.’s startups.
"The L.A. startup scene is more than just Venice and Santa Monica," says Reynolds, who prefers a cityscape and initially headquartered Grid110 in DTLA as a result. "Since our inception, we've supported 250 companies who have raised over $90M in investment capital. But I'm even more proud to say 70 % of our portfolio companies have founders who are women and 75% are founders of color. L.A. is an incredibly rich and diverse city - we need to reflect that in our emerging technology."
A welcome sign is that many L.A. technology companies have joined PledgeLA, an industry-wide initiative to make the tech sector accountable to its communities, establishing goals around diversity and social impact, and recording their progress.
Midjourney/Dall-E
Technology For Good
So how will L.A. ensure its tech-enabled future is providing value for all? The SmartLA 2028 city plan laid out some bold objectives, with measurable outcomes including a 10% reduction in travel time by utilizing data from 40,000 loop detectors across 4,500 connected intersections and annual savings of $3 million through converting over 165,000 street lamps to LED and connecting them to a dashboard to streamline maintenance and track outages.
The MyLA311 site and mobile app allow Angelenos a simple-to-use interface to city services. It's relatively unsophisticated in terms of UX (user experience) and design, but it works because it was created with equity in mind so everyone can use it. If you need to report a pothole, civic safety issue, schedule pick-up of bulky items or find the nearest municipal building or park, it’s all there - and available in English, Spanish, Korean, Armenian and Chinese (simplified and traditional) to reflect our diverse communities.
MyLA311 would not have been possible, however, without the Los Angeles Open Data project. This is the result of over 7 years of capturing, standardizing, centralizing and then analyzing vast amounts of city data - from almost every department - transportation, sanitation, public safety (crime stats), housing, infrastructure and health (most notably COVID-19 transmission data).
The Los Angeles Open Data’s main function is to provide data and analysis support to city programs which aim to realize high-value community outcomes by providing policy recommendations. Simply put - if you don’t know where you’re starting from (base line), how will you know if a program is a success?
But it’s also entirely open and accountable to the public too. As a result, Angelenos can now drill down to find out more on hyperlocal data sets which provide meaning to them. For example, a team scraped data on Black-owned businesses in L.A. and compiled a “story map” here, so people can choose to spend money within their communities and support causes most meaningful to them.
This data also powers ideas which have emerged from the Innovation and Performance Commission (IPC), an open forum for city employees to propose pilot projects which can receive allocations from a $1 million fund. According to the SmartLA 2028 report, “Since its inception in 2016, over 40 projects have been funded, including a mobile nurse practitioner unit that reduces emergency room visits, employee payroll app that reduces paper and staff resources, and 3D printers for rapid prototyping of public works projects.”
Connectivity Access
All these initiatives are vital to the running of a “smart city” - but what’s the use if a significant proportion of the population doesn’t have access to digital connectivity?
This situation was exacerbated by the pandemic and many agencies stepped up to close up the digital divide, including Get Connected Los Angeles, where the city partnered with the California Emerging Technology Fund and EveryoneOn to help Angelenos get access to computers, digital literary services and low-cost internet connectivity.
The Los Angeles County Library extended their Wi-Fi service to over 60 of its local branch parking structures so locals could “park and connect” (or “sit and connect” at nearby outdoor seating) to pick up email, do homework, or carry out job searches. While the Los Angeles Public Library rolled out its Tech2go Hotspot Loan to library card holders in good standing and re-trained staff to act as “cybernauts” and offer technology assistance.
Imagining the Future
With all these tech-future equitable concepts in place, what will L.A. look like in 2028 when the world arrives on our doorstep for the Olympics?
At first glance - and this is no bad thing - it might not look that different at all, because no new construction/venues will be built, according to the official Games Plan. We have enough facilities to host the Games. In a bid for sustainability and imaginative adaptive reuse, the plan is clear on that score.
But what will be entirely revolutionary is the technologically-based infrastructure enabling everyone to get around, connect, find out what’s going on, and enjoy the sporting and cultural events. As 15,000 athletes arrive at LAX they’ll take the automated people mover to the Metro and end up at the Olympic Village (UCLA) in no time. With the smart city layer in place, anything is possible - augmented reality glasses overlaying real-time sports scores, holograms of athletes participating in community-led training sessions, multi-lingual robots acting as guides and scanning tickets at turnstiles.
It all starts with the data - and L.A. is already way ahead of the game on that score.
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