Small Home Affordability Strategies

11:00 am - Welcome - Anne Wyatt, Casita Coalition

Casita Board Member Anne Wyatt is Executive Director of Smart Share Housing Solutions in San Luis Obispo County, an innovative nonprofit with programs ranging from homesharing to ADUs to co-living.

11:05 am - San Diego Density Bonus ADU Program - Muhammad Alameldin, UC Berkeley Terner Center for Housing Innovation; Jared Basler, Director of Policy & Strategic Initiatives, Casita Coalition

The City of San Diego’s innovative ADU bonus program is adding dozens of new, affordable ADUs to their housing stock, on both multifamily and single-dwelling properties. Join Muhammad Alameldin of the Terner Center as he shares highlights of their recent policy brief on this program, along with ADU builder Jared Basler, who’ll share insights and photos from his own ADU bonus projects.

11:15 am - BackHome ADU Case Study: Partnerships for Affordability - John C. Miller, BackHome ADU, Co-Founder

Partnerships are at the heart of BackHome ADU’s program to help lower-income homeowners in Portland OR build ADUs. Their full-service collaboration includes lender Craft3, ADU builders with a range of construction styles, plus a property management company to take landlord challenges off the homeowner’s plate. John Miller, BackHome ADU co-founder, shares the scalable components of their pilot program, focusing on their financing model.

11:25 am - Moveable Tiny Homes & RVs as Housing in Portland - Kol Peterson, Accessory Dwelling Strategies, Founder

Acknowledging the seriousness of their housing shortage, in August 2021, Portland OR’s City Council unanimously voted to allow tiny houses on wheels and RVs as permanent housing on residential lots in the city (one allowed per lot). Kol Peterson, author of Back Door Revolution and Casita board member, shares an update on how the new rules are playing out in Portland neighborhoods. Spoiler alert: it’s working!

11:35 am - Garage Conversion Innovations #1- Rebecca Möller, SYMBiHOM

On paper it looks like garage conversions are the lowest-hanging fruit for ADU production—but in reality, these projects often face unpredictable costs and timelines. Two innovators in this segment with different construction systems will share stats and photos of their ‘proof of concept’ demonstration models focused on delivering affordable, scalable garage ADU conversions. Rebecca’s panelized system was designed for flexibility and reduced costs.

11:45 am - Garage Conversion Innovations #2- Derek Ouyang, ADUO

Derek Ouyang of City Systems and ADUO was looking to lower the cost of garage conversions with a system that could work in a wide range of existing garage spaces. His open source platform with designs for a 'plug and play’ pod containing the kitchen and bath components for the ADU is offered at no cost to the public. Homeowners can work with their contractors to build and install the unit in their prepared garage space.

11:55 am - Expanding Opportunities for Moveable Tiny Homes - Dan Fitzpatrick, Tiny Home Industry Association

Tiny Homes on Wheels, or THOWs, are acknowledged as one of the most affordable home types available for purchase in the country. Several major California cities allow them in backyards. Dan Fitzpatrick of THIA, the industry trade group, shares an update on where Californians can legally live full-time in these much-loved small homes, and where progress still needs to be made for broader uptake as an affordable housing strategy.

12:05 am - Use What You’ve Got: Homesharing & Junior ADUs - Anne Wyatt, Smart Share Housing Solutions

At the most affordable end of the spectrum, private living space can be added to a home through a homesharing agreement–where a homeowner rents a room to someone in need of housing they can afford. This low-tech option still has plenty of moving parts, which is where homesharing programs come in–helping with screening, agreements and mediation. Anne Wyatt from SSHS lifts the curtain on how and who this solution is helping, along with formal and informal JADUs, the next step up in cost.

12:10 pm - Q&A

Please use the Q&A feature and keep your questions general. For the Q & A Panel, presenters will be joined by Domanic Green from Keys to Equity.

12:30 pm - Adjourn–thank you!

Slides and recording will be available within one week after the event.