Granny flats or small backyard homes called accessory dwelling units (ADU) are playing a critical role in increasing housing availability in Long Beach.
Long Beach has issued 1,431 ADU permits in the last five years, according to a report from the Rose Institute of State and Local Government.
Alison Spindler-Ruiz, Long Beach City Planning Bureau Manager, said that ADUs have boomed since 2018 when the city approved just 59.
“We’ve seen ADU production increase 10-fold since 2018,” Ruiz. “Just last year in 2023, we permitted 671 ADUs across the city.”
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The city of Long Beach has pre-approved ADU designs that have been vetted by building services and cut the permit approval process from sometimes four weeks to typically four days.
“We’ve done our best at city hall to make it as easy, as painless and as fast as possible,” said Ruiz.
These small homes can be up and ready to house within four months.
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“One of the great things about ADU production is that it takes place all over the city, so it’s not just concentrated in just one area,” said Ruiz.
A majority of ADUs are being built in low-density areas of Long Beach, mostly in East Long Beach and parts of North Long Beach, according to the report.
“The market is pretty hot on our side,” said Ali Olfati, owner of Olfati Designs, who created some of the pre-approved designs. “With the pre-approved plans… [homeowners] can get them faster, they can get them cheaper.”
On average, these pre-approved plans cost about $1,600 compared to custom plans that could range from $6,000-$10,000 for ADUs.
“With today’s home prices, how can you go wrong,” said Olfati, who believes homeowners will add value to their property and help with the Long Beach housing crunch.
