ADU Tips, Costs & Regulations in Los Angeles

University Park The development of University Park as a residential area was spurred by the founding of the nearby University of Southern California in 1880, and bolstered by the extension of the streetcar routes from downtown Los Angeles in 1891. Prominent citizens, lured by the large lots and suburban ambiance, migrated south from Bunker Hill to build large mansions alongside existing modest houses in the neighborhood. With residences built between 1885 and the 1920s, the

Vinegar Hill Vinegar Hill, a suburb of San Pedro, is a neighborhood of tree-lined streets and modest single-family houses built by successful San Pedro businessmen. It is rumored that Vinegar Hill is named for a local cottage industry of home-brewed sour wine. The neighborhood residences, built from 1886 through 1927, housed the area’s diverse immigrant population and include examples of Queen Anne, American Foursquare and Craftsman styles alongside later American Colonial a

Sunset Square Sunset Square is bounded by Hollywood Blvd to the north, Vista Street to the east, Sunset Blvd to the south and Fairfax to the west, the Sunset Square HPOZ is situated just north of the Spaulding Square HPOZ. The Sunset Square HPOZ comprises 348 homes. It is composed of single and multi-family residences constructed primarily in the first half of the 20th century, with most of the construction occurring between 1910 and the 1920’s. The dominant architectural st

The Stonehurst HPOZ comprises 92 homes in the Northeast San Fernando Valley, in the community of Sun Valley. Many of the structures were built between 1923 and 1925 by Dan Montelongo, a local artisan and stonemason, using stone selected from the nearby washes and the foothills of the Tujunga Valley. The neighborhood boasts the highest concentration in Los Angeles of homes utilizing native river rock as a primary building material. Many of these homes were designed in a "Stone

Lincoln Heights Lincoln Heights is one of Los Angeles’ first residential suburbs. It was subdivided in 1873. Lincoln Heights was originally named “East Los Angeles” and is located northeast of downtown. The zip code for this area is 90031.In 1876, Griffin and Downey established one of the city’s first streetcar lines to connect the East Los Angeles subdivision with downtown. Houses in Lincoln Heights vary in architecture and include examples of Victorian-era, Arts and Crafts

La Fayette Square Lafayette Square was the last and greatest of banker George L. Crenshaw’s ten residential developments in LA. Since Crenshaw wanted this development to have a European flair it was designed as an elegant residential park centered on St. Charles Place, a broad palm-lined avenue with a landscaped median. Early residents of Lafayette Square included the founder of Pepperdine University, George Pepperdine, actors W.C. Fields and Fatty Arbuckle, art collector Nor

HPOZ and ADUs Due to residents of Los Angeles being upset that their historic neighborhoods were being uprooted. As the city recognized the importance of preserving the architectural and cultural legacy of its neighborhoods, the City adopted the HPOZ Ordinance A Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, or HPOZ, is a zoning tool that protects and preserves neighborhoods composed of architecturally and historically significant structures. A type of historic district, HPOZs primarily

Hollywood Grove Hollywood Grove is a small neighborhood comprising Turn-of-the-20th-Century houses in the foothills of the Hollywood Hills. The neighborhood, a collection of Craftsman and American Colonial Revival bungalows (with noticeable number of Period Revival houses as well), stands out as a strong indication of what a typical residential subdivision once looked like in the Hollywood community. Wide front yards with lush landscaping, front porches that embrace the sun,

Spaulding Square is a neighborhood of modest one-story Period Revival style homes built in the early 1900s, Spaulding Square was named after real estate speculator Albert Starr Spaulding who purchased and subdivided the land in 1914. Spaulding attracted buyers to the area using a “lecture and lunch” strategy whereby interested buyers received a free streetcar ride, a meal, and a talk on the endless possibilities of the area. Sales were also fueled by the rise of the film indu

Highland Park Garvanza The Highland Park-Garvanza HPOZ is located northeast of downtown Los Angeles. Highland Park is bordered on the south and east by the 110 freeway, and stretches west almost all the way to Eagle Rock Boulevard. The largest of the city’s HPOZs, Highland Park-Garvanza encompasses approximately 4,000 structures (including over fifty Los Angeles City Historic-Cultural Monuments) and was the first HPOZ to include commercial buildings. The architecture of High

South Carthay HPOZ residential development began during the early 1930s. Almost half of the single-family dwellings in South Carthay were designed and built by Greek developer Spyros George Ponty, who built homes throughout Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. Ponty and other contractors constructed homes in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. The characteristic use of low-pitched red tile roofs, arched doors and windows, and smooth stucco exterior finishes provides visual continui

Melrose Hill Melrose Hill HPOZ is a small gem of a neighborhood that shows why Los Angeles is known as “the bungalow capital of the world.” The modest single-family homes of this tree-shaded community were built between 1911 and 1926, at the height of the popularity of the California bungalow. Nearly half of its original 45 residences were designed and constructed by the Briggs Company, whose president, Sidney L. Briggs, was the principal for the subdivision and development o

Hancock Park Hancock Park is known for its Beautiful homes, scenic streets, and mature shade trees. Lots of influential members of society lived in this quaint neighborhood. The vast majority of the residences are set back 50 feet from the street and include side driveways generally leading to a rear garage. Past prominent Hancock Park residents have included millionaire Howard Hughes, entertainers Mae West and Nat King Cole, Broadway Department Store magnate Arthur Letts, Jr

The Harvard Heights HPOZ is mostly characterized by two-story Craftsman-style residences built in the beginning of the 1900s. The large and somewhat grand scale of architecture is due to a land covenant that stipulated that houses built within the tract cost more than $2,500, which was a lot in 1905. The neighborhood also features the work of the famous Heineman brothers as well as notable West Adams architect Frank Tyler. The HPOZ boundaries include modest commercial buildin

Pico-Union HPOZ is located in central Los Angeles. Prior to the turn of the century, single-family residences in the area featured a broad range of architectural styles including late 19th century Victorian-era cottages, early 20th century Craftsman and Mission Revival bungalows and larger homes in Period Revival or Classical styles. Today, Pico-Union is a neighborhood of great ethnic diversity with a mixture of single-family and multi-family housing. Alvarado Terrace Histori

Gregory Ain Mar Vista Tract Mar Vista Housing is also known as the Gregory Ain Mar Vista Tract. It is located in west LA and consists of 52 homes designed by architect Gregory Ain. Built in 1948, this one-story single family residential development was shaped by the Fair Housing Administration’s desire to promote home ownership among modest-income families and the need to accommodate the growing number of defense/aircraft industry employees. Landscape architect Garrett Eckbo

El Sereno Berkshire The El Sereno - Berkshire Craftsman District HPOZ is located in the east of LA. It is bordered by the City of South Pasadena to the north and the City of Alhambra to the east. The historic district contains the Short Line Villa Tract, which shows examples of a form of development common to Pasadena and South Pasadena. It includes excellent examples of Craftsman, Bungalow, American Colonial Revival, and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. It is a well-pr

Country Club Park is a neighborhood that was designed to have lots of character. Constructed adjacent to the streetcar line that stretched along Pico Boulevard the area was originally located at the western edge of the City and housed some of Los Angeles’ most famous citizens. As the area matured in the 1920s, vacant lots were filled by homes constructed in the latest architectural styles: Craftsman, Tudor Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, Colonial Revival and Mediterranean

Carthay Square The Carthay Square HPOZ is located in the western part of Central Los Angeles. It borders the Carthay Circle HPOZ on its northern side and the South Carthay HPOZ on its western side. The survey area is bounded by Pico Boulevard to the south, Fairfax Avenue to the east, Olympic Boulevard to the north, and the Stearns Drive alleyway to the west. It includes single-and multi-family residences constructed primarily in the 1920s and 1930s. Most buildings in the prop

Banning Park Banning Park HPOZ is located near the Port of Los Angeles in the Wilmington community. The area comprising the HPOZ was originally part of the estate of General Phineas Banning, the “father of Wilmington,” an early developer of the port of San Pedro and a railroad tycoon. He developed the area with residences to house employees of Wilmington businesses. The architectural cohesiveness of this neighborhood can be attributed to the locally famous architect Sid Spea