For years, Los Angeles has been building up its accessory dwelling unit (or ADU) housing stock, and now these small homes are proving to be more than just a solution to the housing crisis. ADUs are unexpectedly becoming a lifeline, housing people displaced by the recent L.A. wildfires.
As California continues to change its laws to make ADUs easier to permit, thousands of homeowners have added them to their backyards (and, in some cases, their frontyards). Initially designed to fast-track new housing, ADUs have been added by homeowners for various purposes such as having extra monthly income, housing children and parents or having a backyard office.
In the wake of the devastating January wildfires in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, ADUs may have taken on a new importance as temporary housing for Los Angeles residents who are homeless.
This shift in use would underscore the power of community support. Have you opened your ADU to someone who the fires displaced? We want to hear from you and share your stories as recovery efforts take shape.
