Homeowners thinking of building a granny flat or guest house in their backyard can now shave tens of thousands of dollars off their costs because of a new program offered to residents in the city of Los Angeles.
City Councilmember Kevin de León on Thursday, July 13, announced the city’s first free, pre-approved Accessory Dwelling Unit Standard Plan, called the YOU-ADU plan. Because Angelenos can use it free of charge, officials say it will save homeowners $20,000 to $30,000 in architectural and design costs. And since the plan’s been approved by various city departments already, it is expected to shave about two to four months off the time it takes to obtain permits.
The goal is to save homeowners time and money – a typical ADU project costs $150,000 to $200,000 to construct, de León said. Not only would this enable more homeowners to have a relative move onto their property or to rent out an ADU to generate rental income, it could also help increase the city’s housing stock.
“It’s not a secret that Angelenos are struggling to find affordable housing,” de León said during a news conference outside the city’s Department of Building and Safety.
“Given the fact that Los Angeles is the homeless capital of the nation, we need more housing, plain and simple,” he added.
De León called the demand for housing “astronomical” and spoke of a possible “tsunami” in which a new wave of Angelenos could become homeless following the end of the city’s pandemic-related eviction moratorium earlier this year.
Using about $250,000 in discretionary funds from his office, plus an additional $250,000 secured from the city’s general fund, de León commissioned the firms Kadre Architects and Lehrer Architects to develop the YOU-ADU plan. When built, the ADU will measure about 455 square feet, will feature a gabled roof and will be designed to include solar panels for more sustainable living.
Nerin Kadribegovic, principal of Kadre Architects, said…
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