California Construction News staff writer
cityLAB at UCLA says it has launched “Small Lots, Big Impacts”, a first-of-its-kind project to transform vacant, city-owned land into new starter homes by inviting architects, designers, and students to propose innovative housing solutions that are affordable, sustainable and adaptable.
The initiative begins with an open competition inviting architects, designers, and students from around the world to submit proposals for compact, sustainable housing models that could be built on vacant land. The goal is to create designs that are affordable and incorporate shared amenities and resilient, environmentally conscious features to help address the city’s ongoing housing crisis.
In the first phase, the open competition will select winning designs that will be advanced into the next phase, where winners will collaborate with development teams to bring their ideas to life. Starting in summer 2025, these teams will be awarded City-owned land to construct housing prototypes that could be replicated across thousands of privately owned lots in Los Angeles.
“We need new, innovative construction methods to make homeownership possible for Angelenos, and I am excited to see what creative ideas the design community will bring to this challenge,” said Mayor Karen Bass.
The initiative’s timing comes in the wake of the January 2025 wildfires, which underscored the need for innovative housing solutions that prioritize both sustainability and community resilience. As cityLAB highlights, the vacant lots in question may be too small for traditional housing but represent valuable opportunities for affordable housing developments.
“By bringing together architects, developers, and builders, we have the opportunity to reimagine what ‘starter homes’ can be in LA, creating sustainable, vibrant communities that respect the environment and provide dignity to their residents,” said Dana Cuff, Professor at UCLA AUD and Director of cityLAB at UCLA.
For more information or to submit a proposal, visit the competition website or contact sm***********@uc**.edu.
