Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Friday an initiative by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety to give builders and homeowners pre-approved accessory dwelling unit building plans to allow a faster and less expensive permitting process.
Garcetti’s office believes accessory dwelling units, also called “granny flats,” are critical to expanding and diversifying the city’s housing supply. ADUs make up 22% of the city’s newly permitted housing units after a 2017 state law made it easier for people to build them.
“Every day, Los Angeles and our residents tackle our greatest challenges with creativity, innovation, resilience and an immeasurable can-do spirit,” Garcetti said. “This program is about making ADUs more accessible, more affordable and more beautiful — and making them part of the blueprint of our efforts to tackle our housing crunch and create more affordable communities citywide.”
The Accessory Dwelling Unit Standard Plan Program includes 20 pre-approved design options created by 10 different firms. The standard plans will allow homeowners to avoid the four-to-six week LADBS plan check-review process, and instead have plans approved in as little as a day.
The program builds on LADBS’ program for swimming pool and stairwell standard plans. The ADU plans range from small studios to large, two-story units, and there are eight additional plans from four firms pending approval.
“The Standard Plan Program will dramatically streamline the process for homeowners of selecting and getting an ADU design approved by LADBS while at the same time supporting the work of Los Angeles architects and extending the city’s rich tradition of innovation in residential architecture,” said Christopher Hawthorne, Chief Design Officer for the city of Los Angeles. “The ADU plans available at launch include contributions from some of the most talented architecture and design firms at work in Los Angeles and around the country — and we look forward to seeing new designs added to the mix.”
Los Angeles has been exploring other ways to increase L.A.’s housing supply through ADUs. In 2019, Garcetti launched the L.A. ADU Accelerator to allow homeowners to rent their ADUs to older adults who face housing insecurity.
On Feb. 9, the Los Angeles City Council approved a motion, introduced by Councilmen Kevin de Leon and Bob Blumenfield, to have the Department of Public Works’ Bureau of Engineering create a set of standard plans for modular multi-family homeless and affordable housing, bungalow courts and ADUs. The motion builds upon the ADU Standard Plan Program, which was in development for a year and went through a seven-month pilot program, Garcetti’s office said.
“Driving down the cost of building new units helps all communities increase affordable housing stock. This ADU Standard Plan Program reflects the kind of forward-thinking that L.A. needs to expand housing affordability throughout the city,” de Leon said. “I look forward to working with Mayor Garcetti to apply this concept to a broader range of affordable housing alternatives, especially ones that allow for cost-certain options.”
Firms that wish to participate in the program can learn more information at ladbs.org/adu/standard-plan-program.
Angelenos who want to use a standard ADU plan can go to ladbs.org/adu/standard-plan-program to view the approved plans.