Launched by the Goldhirsch Foundation, the My LA2050 challenge invites Angelenos to take a hand in solving LA's most difficult problems. Applicants have submitted proposals that address regional quality in one (or more) of eight key areas: arts & cultural vitality, education, environmental quality, health, housing, income & employment, public safety, and social connectness. Voting has now begun and will continue until Wednesday, April 17, when 10 of the 279 submissions will be selected to receive a $100,000 grant for their project.
One of the many outstanding submissions aims to create affordable, flexible, and sustainable housing in LA. cityLAB's Backyard Homes will design and implement a prototype that can be used to spread awareness and demand for the product. These "backyard homes" come packaged and easily transportable, can be customized to fit a family's needs or space constraints, and have the potential to provide a substantial new supply of housing. In a city with over half a million single-family lots, many of which already contain illegal garage rental units, this innovation can improve access to affordable housing and quality of life for many families. The State of California passed a law in 2003 that allows a second unit on single-family lots, and in 2009 the LA City Council acted to make backyard housing more feasible. Clearly the need for these homes already exists, and cityLAB's project promises to address this need while preserving neighborhoods' unique characters.