Los Angeles Fast-Tracks New ADUs by Offering Homeowners Pre-Approved Plans

Under the direction of Los Angeles’s chief design officer Christopher Hawthorne and the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), the city has enlisted emerging architecture firms to design 28 accessory dwelling unit (ADU) plans that are pre-approved under the new Standard Plan Program—speeding up the permitting process from weeks-long to as little as a day.

In 2017, California passed laws preventing cities across the state from imposing significant restrictions on their ADU codes. Since then, ADU construction has boomed, but some barriers have persisted. As Taalman Architecture—the creator of six designs for the initiative—notes, "The biggest hurdle in making these small spaces was the process with the city and permitting, which required a significant investment on the part of the client."

With the new pre-approved plans, homeowners can find thoughtful designs without spending an exorbitant amount of money—or the time involved in pursuing a more customized plan. 

Hawthorne, along with Theadora Trindle from the mayor’s office, looked to other cities with standard, pre-approved plans while developing their initiative but ultimately decided on a program that would support small firms hit hard by the pandemic. Thus, the plans are not owned by the city, so homeowners are encouraged to reach out and begin the process with a participating architect.

The plans approved by the city vary in aesthetic and approach, much like the larger architectural landscape of Los Angeles, and represent a microcosm of contemporary practices. Hawthorne emphasized the importance of bringing the public into conversations about design, breaking down the assumption that beautiful design is expensive, and "making the case that good design can actually be a way for us to be more efficient and even save money."