Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs): Social Change by Design

Going Beyond the ADU object

June Grant will share the genesis of her current national ADU campaign, the methodology used in assessment of market opportunities and barriers, the recent AARP report, and the role of multi-media to raise and broaden the conversation beyond ADU local ordinance. She will demonstrate the means by which Architects should play a key central role in facilitating necessary changes needed to overcome barriers to wider acceptance of ADUs.

Case study: Prefab ADU – opportunities and obstacles

Steve will discuss his firm's business model, his approach to finance, meeting demand, customer satisfaction and skilled labor shortages. He’ll also discuss his role in ADU advocacy and crafting California legislation to further reduce barriers.

Learning objectives

1. Participants will be better able to understand and frame local policy in order to determine practice objectives.

2. Participants will be better able to analyze existing ordinances and determine potential opportunities to improve local policy.

3. Participants learn how to navigate the messiness of local permit departments.

4. Participants will develop an understanding of the role of architectural research in impacting design and policy as the basis for practice innovation geared towards urban social change.
   

Speakers:

June A. Grant
Principal, blinkLAB architecture
President, National Organization of Minority Architects (SFNOMA), San Francisco Chapter

June Grant is the Founding Principal at blinkLAB architecture based in Oakland, California.  Her professional experience straddles a prior career in economic research and current emphasis on emerging technologies.  As such, blinkLAB architecture is a research-based design practice.  Her study of design and delivery of ADUs in grounded in the belief that design of the object is not the answer; it is the beginning of the question into materiality, economics, cultural socialization and spatial justice.

Steve Vallejos
CEO, PrefabADU

Steve Vallejos is the CEO of prefabADU & Valley Home Development Corp based in Northern California.  Over the last 14 years his companies have designed and built over 180 ADU’s throughout the Bay Area using various prefab methods.  He’s actively involved in just about everything that has to do with ADU’s including local regulations & state legislation, advocacy, finance, technology and of course prefab.  His experience in the industry allows him to have a unique perspective and insight on the ADU market.  Steve is a licensed General Contractor and has been in the building industry for over 30 years.  His company prefabADU is projecting to build 1400 ADU’s next year with that number doubling in 2021 as they expand into other markets.