City to Ease Granny Flat Regulations

Contrary to popular belief, the landscape of West Hollywood is as much boutiques and nightclubs as it is converted garages and stand-alone cottages. As baby boomers age and the need for affordable, multigenerational housing increases, so do granny flats.

Drive through town and you will likely find what the city calls accessory dwelling units, or second residences tacked onto single-family homes. Over in the West Hollywood West neighborhood, between Melrose Avenue and Beverly Boulevard, one resident has torn down her garage in order to create an additional structure for her aging parents. 

“I wanted my parents to be closer to me and to get used to the neighborhood while they were still independent,” said Lauren Meister, president of the West Hollywood West Residents Association.

The Meister granny flat is under 500 square feet, but contains all the conveniences of home—kitchen, washer/dryer, central air and heat and a modern-day Murphy bed.

The exterior is also fashioned to match Meister's house. She said she wanted to ensure the dwelling’s compatibility with the neighborhood. From the street, it would look like a regular garage, completely independent of the main house. 

“We love it here,” said Meister's mother, Jacky. “We love the area, our little house and the garden.” 

Since West Hollywood’s existing zoning ordinance limits how accessory dwelling units can be built, getting a permit was challenging, Meister said. She went before the city’s Planning Commission and had neighbors speak on her behalf. It took four months to get the flat approved, she said.

Allyne Winderman, director of West Hollywood’s Rent Stabilization and Housing Department, said the city is working on easing those regulations.

“We are always interested in finding a way to increase the city’s housing supply through the development of new, single units on individual lots, while preserving the character of single-family neighborhoods,” said Winderman. 

With a directive from the City Council, the department worked with a team of consultants last year to make it easier to build new granny flats, she said.

The 2010 report offers recommendations and changes to existing regulations, according to Winderman. "This information will soon be in the hands of the city’s Planning Commission for public input and consideration," she said.

If you are interested in legalizing an unpermitted granny flat, call the West Hollywood City Planning Division at 323-848-6475.

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