Micro-housing is becoming big in cities. Micro-housing is the umbrella term for a housing option that is smaller than average, typically studio apartments ranging in size from 140 to 450 square feet.

Micro units and tiny homes contain one habitable room as well as kitchen and bathroom facilities. Micro units often take the form of apartments in multifamily buildings, while tiny homes are detached and placed on a foundation or a trailer. Micro units in a multifamily building must contain one habitable room that is at least 120 SF, as well as a kitchen and bathroom (all habitable rooms in a dwelling unit must be at least 70 SF).

In Los Angeles, the approval of the Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) guidelines make micro-unit construction legal and financially feasible in parts of high-density areas like downtown LA and Hollywood. However, as outlined in a 2018 White Paper by Downtown LA’s Central City Association, there are still barriers to building micro-units, including adaptive reuse building codes (min. 450 square feet) and minimum average unit sizes in buildings. As of December 2019, LA City has been compiling a report to address the various roadblocks that still prevent micro-housing from becoming the next big thing in housing affordability (follow the latest progress here).

Read more about LA City Regulations here.