Tiny House Village Design

The design charrette for a tiny house village was a great exercise! I found that I had so many similarities to what others had in their designs. A main feature was central community gathering space where residents can eat, play, have a concert, sit around a fire, and other wonderful ideas.  There were so many new people, as well.  This movement is growing, and we can create this.

This was part of the Tiny House Design Expo organized by LATCH Collective, an amazing group of tiny house enthusiasts.  Thanks to LATCH advocacy, the City of Los Angeles is taking our ideas into account as they design new planning laws for backyard homes.  This village idea could also be presented to planners as an example of where we want to live.

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Backyard homes policy update

Last year, California passed laws making it much easier for homes to add secondary units on the property: SB 1069, AB 2299, and AB 2406.  These units are termed “Accessory Dwelling Units” (ADUs), or nicknamed granny flats, in-law units, backyard cottages.  The laws change requirements for parking, setbacks, fees, and permits, reducing some of the barriers that previously made it difficult to build ADUs.  Generally, the unit will still need its own off-street parking space, unless it’s near transit, car sharing, or meets other criteria.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development has a page with some good info about the state laws, and links to more resources.  Here is an ADU guidebook  for Los Angeles by CityLab.

The city of Los Angeles is developing language for a new ordinance to expand on the state law.   It has not yet been issued to the public, so it is a good time to tell your council person your opinions or ask them to release the draft for public comment.

The Tiny Advocacy Network is interested in making sure tiny homes (generally less than 400 square feet) and movable tiny homes (structures on a trailer or wheels) stay in the language of this ordinance.  You can sign up for their newsletters and check out info on their advocacy page.

 

Cooperative Living Salon: Community Land Trusts & Co-Housing

Several members attended this event, as well as other meetings on housing hosted by LA-Más and the Much ADU About Nothing group. 

This salon was aimed at those interested in Community Land Trusts & Cohousing.  These gatherings are hosted by LA-Más, and I’m posting the information sent by Mark Vallianatos and Helen Leung. 

Cooperative Living Salon: Community Land Trusts & Co-Housing

Presentations by Helen Campbell, Beverly Vermont Community Land Trust & Ilaria Mazzoleni + Olivia Samad, InhabitLA

September 28, 2016

We are not done convening discussions on the policy, design, financing and construction of ADUs or secondary units. But our next Much ADU About Nothing gathering onwill focus on another innovative housing type: cooperative living and building. Just as ADUs allow individual homeowners to add units to shape their living environment, cooperative housing empowers a group of residents to plan, develop and own multifamily dwelling. 

Helen Campbell will present on community land trusts. Helen will be speaking about her involvement as a board member with the Beverly Vermont Community Land Trust (BVNLT), home of the LA Eco-Village. Helen will provide an overview of land trusts and describe the history, ownership, financial and legal structure of the BVNLT, as well as its plans for the future and the potential for other land trusts in Los Angeles. Olivia Samad and Ilaria Mazzoleni from inHabitLA will present on co-housing and the ongoing process to establish a co-housing project in LA. Olivia is Senior Attorney with SoCal Edison and has lived in and explored co-housing in the Washington DC and LA regions. Ilaria is an architect and founder of IM Studio Milano/Los Angeles. They will describe co-housing, trace its origins and give examples in and outside the U.S. 

We look forward to seeing you, please let us know if you can make it! 

Cheers, 

Mark Vallianatos and Helen Leung