![Looking to Build a Granny Flat in Your Backyard? Meet the Firms and Designs Pre-Approved in LA](https://dot.la/media-library/looking-to-build-a-granny-flat-in-your-backyard-meet-the-firms-and-designs-pre-approved-in-la.jpg?id=25816430&width=1200&height=400&quality=85&coordinates=0%2C106%2C0%2C107)
![dot.LA](https://dot.la/media-library/dot-la-logo.png?id=28274272&width=166&height=100)
Ā Get in the KNOW Ā
Ā on LA Startups & Tech Ā
X
Design, Bitches
Looking to Build a Granny Flat in Your Backyard? Meet the Firms and Designs Pre-Approved in LA
Sarah Favot
Favot is an award-winning journalist and adjunct instructor at USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She previously was an investigative and data reporter at national education news site The 74 and local news site LA School Report. She's also worked at the Los Angeles Daily News. She was a Livingston Award finalist in 2011 and holds a Master's degree in journalism from Boston University and BA from the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada.
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 ā the pre-approved homes start at $144,000 and can go beyond $300,000 ā 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.
AmunƔtegui ValdƩs Architects
Led by Cristobal AmunƔtegui and Alejandro ValdƩs, the firm was founded in 2011 and has offices in Los Angeles and Santiago, Chile. AmunƔtegui is an assistant professor at the Department of Architecture and Urban Design at UCLA.
The firm designs work in various scales and mediums, including buildings, furniture and exhibitions.
Its one-story, two-bedroom with a covered roof deck 934-square-foot unit is pending approval from the city.
Connect Homes
Connect Homes has a 100,000-square foot factory in San Bernardino and an architecture studio in Downtown L.A.
It specializes in glass and steel homes and has completed 80 homes in California. Its designs have an aesthetic of mid-century modern California residential architecture.
It has two one-bedroom models pre-approved by the city, one is 460 square feet, which costs $144,500 with a total average project cost of $205,000. The other is 640 square feet, which costs $195,200 with a total project cost of $280,000.
Design, Bitches
The Los Angeles-based architectural firm founded in 2010 describes itself as having a "bold and irreverent vision." Its projects include urban infill ground-up offices to single-family homes, adaptive re-use of derelict commercial buildings and renovations of historic landmarks.
Its pre-approved design, named "Midnight Room," is a guest house/ studio. Its bedroom can be left open for a loft feel or enclosed as a separate room. The design is a one-story, one-bedroom at 454 square feet.
Escher GuneWardena Architecture
Founded in Los Angeles in 1996, Escher GuneWardena Architecture has received international recognition and has collaborated with contemporary artists, worked on historical preservation projects and more.
The company has been approved for two different one-story, one- or two-bedroom units, one at 532 square feet with an estimated cost of $200,000 and another at 784 square feet with an estimated cost of $300,000. The firm noted the costs depend on site conditions and do not include soft costs. Those could add 10% to 12% to the total construction costs.
First Office
First Office is an architecture firm based in Downtown Los Angeles. Its approved ADUs will be built using prefabricated structural insulated panels, which allow for expedited construction schedules and high environmental ratings.
The interior finishes include concrete floors, stainless steel counters and an occasional element of conduit.
There are five options:
- A one-story studio, 309 to 589 square feet
- A one-story one-bedroom, 534 to 794 square feet
- And a one-story two-bedroom, 1,200 square feet
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.
The design team behind "IT House" is Los Angeles-based studio Taalman Architecture. Over the past 15 years, IT House has built more than 20 homes throughout California and the U.S.
The IT House ADU standard plans include the tower, bar, box, cube, pod and court.
The city has approved four options, including:
- A two-story including mechanical room, 660 square feet
- A two-story including mechanical room, 430 square feet
- A one-story studio, 200 square feet
- A one-story including mechanical room, 700 square feet
The firm also has another two projects pending approval: a 360-square-foot one-story studio and a one-story, three-bedroom at 1,149 square feet.
LA MƔs
LA MƔs is a nonprofit based in Northeast Los Angeles that designs and builds initiatives promoting neighborhood resilience and elevating the agency of working-class communities of color. Homeowners who are considering their design must commit to renting to Section 8 tenants.
The city has approved two of LA MƔs' designs: a one-story, one-bedroom, 528 square feet unit and a one-story, two-bedroom, 768 square feet unit. The firm has another design for a one-story studio pending approval. That design would be the first 3D-printed ADU design in the city's program.
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
Founded in 2004, wHY is based in Los Angeles and New York City. It has taken on a landmark affordable housing and historic renovation initiative in Watts.
Its one-story, one- or two-bedroom 480 to 800-square-foot unit is pending approval.
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.
From Your Site Articles
- United Dwelling Raises $10M to Address the Housing Shortage ... āŗ
- Plant Prefab Raises An Additional $30 Million - dot.LA āŗ
- How 3D Printing Could Help Tackle Homelessness in LA - dot.LA āŗ
- New Bills, New Startups Address Housing in California - dot.LA āŗ
- LA's ADU Culture Still Faces Financial Barriers - dot.LA āŗ
- What Will Take To Make Modular Homes Mainstream? - dot.LA āŗ
Related Articles Around the Web
Sarah Favot
Favot is an award-winning journalist and adjunct instructor at USC's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She previously was an investigative and data reporter at national education news site The 74 and local news site LA School Report. She's also worked at the Los Angeles Daily News. She was a Livingston Award finalist in 2011 and holds a Master's degree in journalism from Boston University and BA from the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada.
Upfront Summit: Steve Ballmer, Meg Whitman, and Even Paris Hilton
08:50 PM | January 28, 2020
Upfront Ventures
- Upfront Summit will bring together top names in media, tech and finance from singer John Legend to Quibi CEO Meg Whitman
- Sustainability, climate change, white privilege and streaming are on the agenda
- The Takeaway: Upfront set to attract investors backed with billions in capital
Upfront Ventures kicks off its technology and startup conference on Wednesday, and this year's lineup includes everyone from Clippers chairman Steve Ballmer to Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos. And, given the event is in Hollywood's back yard, musician John Legend, Ice Cube, and even Paris Hilton are set to speak.
The Upfront Summit, now in its eighth year, is expected to attract more than 1,200 attendees flocking to the Rose Bowl Jan. 29-30. The invite-only event brings together a diverse mix of entrepreneurs networking with venture players armed with billions of dollars in capital, and headlined by presentations from business leaders including Quibi Chief Executive Meg Whitman, Union Square Ventures' Fred Wilson, and Idealab founder Bill Gross.
And this year's conference is expected to take on a theme of sustainability, with panelists like Gross, addressing climate change. The topic takes on more significance this week after Amazon workers threatened to protest about their company's environmental stance, despite threats of termination if they do.
"If the world doesn't solve its sustainability problem, there is no world," said Upfront Managing Partner Mark Suster. "As a result we are not only solving society's biggest problems, but that's where a lot of the money goes."
The event will also tackle issues of diversity and white privilege, along with panels on venture capital, entrepreneurship and the changing media landscape. The summit, which will be live-streamed for the first time, was originally started as a way to counter what Suster believes was a perception that investors were reluctant to sink money into Los Angeles because "it's an entertainment town."
Indeed, today's Los Angeles economy thrives from a cross-pollination of companies where SpaceX sits alongside the scientific community, and tech titans like Snap or Riot Games co-exist with retail ventures like Dollar Shave Club and Sweetgreen.
The convergence of Hollywood and technology are certainly going to be front-and-center at this year's conference. The meteoric rise of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu launched a streaming war that lured in competitors from Apple to Quibi. NBCUniversal got into the action on Jan. 16 when it announced the launch of its Peacock streamer.
Celebrities, whose eye-catching names add a bit of glitz to the Upfront Summit, can't be counted out. After all, this is the town where Ashton Kutcher jumped into the venture capital game, Gwyneth Paltrow launched Goop, and Jessica Alba unveiled Honest Co.
That's certainly a boon to Southern California, where the entertainment industry pumped $115.7 billion into the Los Angeles and Orange County economies (including consumer and other ancillary spending). Los Angeles county is also the nation's top manufacturing base.
For Suster, the conference has the added bonus of giving Upfront a better view about potential investments. The Santa Monica-based firm is one of the region's largest and oldest venture capital players known for its early and seed investment in companies like TrueCar, Maker Studios and Ring. And there's some money to spend. Last year it filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission to raise $250 million in an Upfront Growth III fund for later stage companies. "We are proudly long L.A.," Suster said.
Links to the conference agenda and the livestream can be found here.
Upfront Ventures holds a non-controlling, minority interest in dot.LA.
From Your Site Articles
- Kara Nortman Named Upfront Ventures' Co-Managing Partner - dot.LA āŗ
- Sweetgreen Lays Off 10% of Staff at Its L.A. Headquarters - dot.LA āŗ
Related Articles Around the Web
Read moreShow less
steve ballmerāupfront venturesmeg whitmanparis hiltonstartupsdollar shave clubspacexidealabtruecarmaker studiosringquibipeacockupfront summit
Rachel Uranga
Rachel Uranga is dot.LA's Managing Editor, News. She is a former Mexico-based market correspondent at Reuters and has worked for several Southern California news outlets, including the Los Angeles Business Journal and the Los Angeles Daily News. She has covered everything from IPOs to immigration. Uranga is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism and California State University Northridge. A Los Angeles native, she lives with her husband, son and their felines.
https://twitter.com/racheluranga
rachel@dot.la
š LAās Startup Edge Round 2
10:31 AM | August 21, 2024
In light of last weekās article, we want to highlight some additional schools that have a significant impact on LAās tech landscape. If weāve missed any schools or founders worth including let us know!
Image Source: LMU
Loyola Marymount University
LMU plays a significant role in developing Los Angeles' tech workforce by offering various programs and resources for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators. The university fosters innovation and entrepreneurship through:
- LMU College of Business Administration: Provides entrepreneurship-focused programs and courses, including the Entrepreneurship Program, which offers hands-on experience and mentorship opportunities for students interested in starting their own businesses.
- Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering: Collaborates with industry partners on research projects and offers programs like the Engineering Clinic, where students work on real-world problems for corporate sponsors.
- Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship: Serves as a hub for entrepreneurial activities, offering resources such as the Business Incubator program, pitch competitions, and networking events to support student and faculty startups.
Companies Founded by LMU Alumni: Liquid I.V. by Brandin Cohen, Dave by Jason Wilk, Abstract by Pat Utz
Image Source: CSULB
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB)
CSULB plays a significant role in developing Long Beach's entrepreneurial ecosystem through various programs and resources. The Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship (IIE) at CSULB serves as a central hub, offering initiatives like monthly Innovation Hours, a social justice entrepreneurship program, and the annual Sunstone Innovation Challenge with $50,000 in prizes. CSULB fosters innovation and entrepreneurship through:
- College of Business: Hosts the Apostle Enterprise Lab, a two-course entrepreneurship program open to all CSULB students, which includes participation in business ideation and innovation challenges.
- Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship: Collaborates with local organizations on initiatives like Launch Long Beach, Accelerate Uptown, and Black Business Strategies to support underrepresented entrepreneurs.
- Partnerships with Downtown Long Beach Alliance: provides programming and mentoring to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among students, faculty, staff, and the community.
Companies Founded by CSULB Alumni: Oculus VR and Anduril by Palmer Luckey (technically not an alumni because he dropped out before graduating), Dreamworks Animation by Steven Spielberg
Image Source: Claremont McKenna College
The Claremont Colleges
The Claremont Colleges serve as a significant source of talent for Los Angeles' tech and venture capital workforce, leveraging their strong academic programs and entrepreneurial resources. Harvey Mudd College, renowned for its exceptional engineering program, contributes a substantial number of highly skilled graduates to the tech sector. The consortium's collaborative approach to fostering innovation is exemplified by initiatives like:
- The HIVE: This hub enhances students' creative problem-solving skills through collaborative and interdisciplinary experiences.
- Claremont McKenna College's Silicon Valley Program: Offers students an immersive off-campus study experience that integrates internships, coursework, and networking opportunities in the heart of the tech industry, preparing them for careers in innovation and venture capital..
- The Makerspace at Harvey Mudd College: An 8,000 SF student-run facility that allows students to prototype and develop innovative ideas, fostering a hands-on approach.
Companies Founded by Claremont Alumni: TechCrunch by Michael Arrington (CMC), KKR by Henry Kravis (CMC) & George Roberts (CMC), Sun Basket by Adam Zbar (Pomona), GitHub by Tom Preston-Werner (technically not an alumni because he dropped out before graduating from Harvey Mudd)
Read moreShow less
RELATEDTRENDING
LA TECH JOBS