Los Angeles is taking steps to tackle its housing crisis with a new initiative aimed at building starter homes on small lots. The initiative, named "Small Lots, Big Impacts," was launched recently to provide affordable housing options and demonstrate how the city can grow without becoming overly crowded like Manhattan.
The program kicked off with a design competition for architects and designers to come up with creative plans for constructing multiple small homes on single lots. The goal is to create homes that are less expensive than the larger properties currently being built by developers. The winning designs will be used as templates that developers can easily adopt for their projects.
City officials plan to sell some small, city-owned lots to builders. This will allow them to showcase what can be achieved using the innovative designs. Mayor Karen Bass emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating that Angelenos should have the opportunity to buy their first home and raise families in the city.
The initiative is a collaboration between the city, the public-private program LA4LA, and UCLA’s cityLAB research center. Research from cityLAB indicates that there are about 24,000 vacant lots in Los Angeles that are smaller than a quarter of an acre, where housing is allowed. The city owns around 1,000 of these lots and intends to sell about 10 of them as part of a demonstration project.
In many neighborhoods, developers often build large single-family homes or a few large townhomes on these smaller lots. Sometimes, nothing gets built at all due to high construction costs, which discourage developers from pursuing projects unless they combine multiple lots to create larger buildings. The Small Lots, Big Impacts initiative aims to change that by offering a new option: smaller, more affordable homes.
CityLAB director Dan Cuff noted that the initiative could also help in rebuilding areas affected by recent fires. Designers are encouraged to explore innovative construction methods and materials that can help reduce costs and enhance safety.
The City Council will need to approve the sale of the city lots. Officials hope that by selling these lots to developers who use the winning designs, they can provide more affordable housing options for residents. The proceeds from the sales will be used to fund down payment assistance for buyers of these new homes.
Future projects are expected to range from four to 20 units, with buildings typically being one to three stories tall. The initiative aims to create a welcoming community atmosphere, allowing homeowners to enjoy outdoor spaces and natural light while fostering good relationships with their neighbors.
Cuff believes that this approach will show developers that they can profit from building smaller homes on currently underused land. She hopes it will also demonstrate to the public that Los Angeles can grow in a way that enhances community living without relying solely on high-rise buildings.