Does your neighbor have an unpermitted home in their backyard? It’s more likely than you think, and it may be filling a valuable niche in the housing market. Vinit Mukhija of the UCLA Dept. of Urban Planning joins us to talk about his new book, Remaking the American Dream, and how informal and incremental housing is reshaping single-family neighborhoods. This is part one of a two-part series; in part two we’ll get into the weeds on accessory dwelling units (aka backyard cottages, granny flats, etc.) and debate the merits of state intervention in local housing policy.

Show notes:

• Mukhija, V. (2022). Remaking the American Dream: The Informal and Formal Transformation of Single-Family Housing Cities. MIT Press.
• Background on the City of Los Angeles’ Unpermitted Dwelling Unit Ordinance.
• More info on the LA-Más ADU pilot program with LA County.
• Mukhija, V. (2017). Squatters as Developers? Slum Redevelopment in Mumbai. Routledge.