Residents ventured out of their homes along Palo Verde Avenue and drivers pulled over to the side of the road to watch as a home, piece by piece, was lifted into the air by a massive crane and maneuvered into a single-family backyard near California State University, Long Beach, on a sunny January afternoon.
To combat the statewide housing crisis, government officials in Sacramento and Long Beach have passed legislation to encourage residential development of all types, including accessory dwelling units ADU β small, secondary homes adjacent to a single-family houses or multi-family buildings on the same property.
Traditionally, these homes have been conversions of already-existing spaces, such as garages, or new buildings constructed onsite; but on January 23, the first prefabricated ADU in Long Beach was installed by local developer InstaHome. Everybody has these gigantic backyards with cabanas and swimming pools. Prefabricated ADUs are built to statewide standards set by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which are meant to streamline the permitting process of construction at the local level.
Once a prefab ADU design is approved by the state it may be replicated on any qualifying property. In Long Beach, ADUs are allowed on any property within residential, mixed-use and planned development zoning districts, as well as areas with specific plans allowing residential uses, and may range in size from to square feet. ADUs do not have to meet any parking requirements.
The unit installed by InstaHome last month is square feet with one bedroom, one bathroom, washer and dryer hookups, upgraded countertops and finishes, and a private patio area. The ADU was also painted by the manufacturer to match the renovated single-family home. Prefabricated mini-homes are built offsite and transported by truck to the property in sections, Malan explained.
