What Happened?
A new construction plan in Los Angeles introduces a unique approach to urban housing that supports denser neighborhoods under the city’s small lot ordinance. The proposal marks a shift in urban development that focuses more on neighborhoods rather than housing space.
LA Project
Los Angeles has a small lot ordinance that enables higher density and infill developments by allowing the construction of multiple houses on a single lot. Rather than building a typical housing development with several units stacked atop each other, the Blackbirds project is designed to blend with the surrounding single-family homes while avoiding the negative impacts of increased traffic and parking congestion, CityLab reported.
The Blackbird proposal calls for 18 two- and three-bedroom houses to be built in the Echo Park neighborhood, each offering less than 1,900 square feet. Some of the homes will offer attached and semi-detached units constructed around the existing landscape so as not to stand out or disrupt the neighborhood’s ambience, CityLab reported.
The smaller-sized homes are designed with environmental efficiency in mind, featuring amenities to keep consumption and costs low. The development would also feature green community space and public transit access to neighborhood amenities for owners without cars. The Blackbird development is described as a mix of public and private space.
Appeal of Micro Units
A new study from the Urban Land Institute analyzed the driving forces behind an increased demand for more housing units in prime neighborhood locations at the expense of personal living space. There is growing interest in micro units in dense urban locations due to their improved affordability and proximity to ideal neighborhoods and amenities.
Micro units typically offer between 250 and 500 square feet in space. The units feature a combined sleeping and living space, as well as functional bathrooms and kitchens. In some developments, several micro units will share amenities in a communal space which creates a shared area for socialization.
These small units offer privacy as well as a 20 to 30 percent cut in rental costs, making them ideal options for young professionals, earning less than $40,000 annually, and interested in living alone. About 25 percent of renters surveyed expressed interest in renting a micro unit, citing location, price and proximity to neighborhood amenities as top priorities - mirroring those of individuals currently living in micro units.
According to the research, micro units are no longer commonplace in just the nation’s largest cities – New York City, Chicago, San Francisco. More cities are offering neighborhood amenities for younger professionals and Millennials who may have atypical work hours. These units offer the privacy of a home combined with the accessibility of a major housing development adjacent to public transportation hubs with high walkability scores.
While some developers are embracing the new trend, others are constructing micro units with flexible designs so they can easily be combined and converted back into larger one-bedroom units if demands switch back to traditional layouts.
Location, Location, Location
Gov1 has reported on a growing number of initiatives focused on developments in dense areas where walkability and car-less transport is key.