We are seeing real time proof that California’s SB 684 is creating new opportunities for housing statewide by making it easier to subdivide urban lots and deliver new homes in established neighborhoods. For developers considering infill development, SB 684 is one of the most effective tools available for transforming underdeveloped multi-family residential properties into high-value housing that is both desperately needed in our communities and profitable to build.

At Studio KDA, we see SB 684 as a highly versatile tool for developers throughout the state. Our current work demonstrates the broad range of project types this legislation supports. Examples include a new 1,750 sf home for a young couple in the backyard of an existing home in a desirable neighborhood (a standard ADU is typically capped around 1,000 sf in most jurisdictions), The Morgan, a 6-unit luxury housing project for retirees seeking to leave hillside homes for more walkable neighborhoods, and a new 31-unit rowhouse subdivision (SB 684 overlaid on several contiguous lots) in North Berkeley designed for young families. Together, these projects show that SB 684 is not limited to one housing model; it supports thoughtful infill at multiple scales.

SB 684: Three Key Advantages

1. Financeable / Profitable

The legislation supports creation of fee-simple single-family homes or townhomes for sale, often without the burden of condominium ownership structures. That means projects avoid the complexity associated with HOAs, monthly association fees, and extensive CC&Rs, making the resulting homes both more attractive to buyers and simpler to deliver.

This creates a compelling value proposition: high-value, relatively cost-efficient projects that pencil more easily than conventional condominiums or large-scale apartment buildings.

2. More reliable approvals through ministerial processes

A second major benefit is the ministerial approval process, rather than the traditional lengthy and uncertain discretionary review. For developers, this means a predictable entitlement pathway without exposure to potentially divisive public hearings, neighborhood opposition, and subjective commentary.

Predictability reduces holding costs, improves financing confidence, and shortens the path from concept to construction.

3. Increased development potential on qualifying sites

SB 684 also substantially improves the development potential of urban parcels. On qualifying sites, it often allows more units than would otherwise be allowed, while also easing development constraints such as height, setbacks, lot coverage, and floor area ratios (FAR). This flexibility can be critical in making infill projects workable from both a design and financial standpoint.

For California property owners, this means that land which once supported only conventional housing may now accommodate a more desirable, affordable residential program.

Applicability

SB 684 is relevant across all California jurisdictions, and Studio KDA is seeing growing potential for these projects throughout the SF Bay Area and beyond. When considering a site, note that there are important qualifiers:

1. Sites must be zoned for multifamily development (single-family can work in limited cases);
2. Existing rental units typically cannot be demolished;
3. Individual sites may only have up to 10 units unless subdivided first;
4. Average unit size cannot exceed 1,750 sf. Keep in mind that this is an average, not a cap.

Additional legislative and practical site considerations may also affect applicability.

A capable architect, experienced with SB 684, can help developers assess whether a property is a good candidate, test site yield and building form, and help shape a development strategy that aligns the legislation with local requirements and market opportunity. Properly understood and implemented, we expect SB684 to be a key component of addressing the state’s serious housing shortfall.

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By doubling the size of a low-rise building without also doubling the costs for land, permits, fees, and so on, these projects will be much more financially feasible for small local developers, who don’t have access to the type or scale of capital typically available to large national firms.

In addition, these now double-sized low-rise buildings can still utilize less expensive construction types–wood vs. steel or concrete–and are not required by state code to include many of the costly elements mandatory in mid- and high-rise buildings, such as elevators or additional stairs and circulation.

In short, small local developers will be better able to recoup their investments and make a profit, which in turn will encourage them to build more housing. This could lead to thousands of additional units coming onto the market each year.

We expect that communities across the state will see numerous variants and flavors of development in this new type of “opportunity zone.” While AB1287 may not be the magic bullet to solve the state’s housing crisis, given the relatively inexpensive cost of construction of low-rise housing, the sheer potential number of such projects could make a real dent.

The post The New California Housing Law with Surprise Benefits appeared first on StudioKDA.

The solution to the challenge afforded by the site lay in creating a series of L-shaped units. While the slender building runs through the block (from Bancroft to Durant), the L-shaped units create “notches” in the long building mass. Each of the notches allowed us to provide a series of mini-courtyard balconies surrounded by windows that bathe the apartments in natural light.

We’re pleased to report that the building is now complete and leasing has begun. www.ursaberkeley.com

A few images from the help of a drone (and photographer Ken Gutmaker) tell the story.

The post Modern Infill Multi-family Housing on an Impossibly Narrow Lot appeared first on StudioKDA.

From Berkeley-based Meyer Sound: This unprecedented ability to dynamically control the sonic ambience of the space has garnered the attention of publications like San Francisco Chronicle and Fast Company. With a touch on an iPad screen, Comal’s management can maintain the desired level of energized “buzz” throughout the space while still allowing intimate conversations, all regardless of occupancy levels. Constellation picks up a room’s ambient sound and, after applying a patented algorithm, regenerates an enhanced wash of sound throughout the space at the optimum levels. Three presets, adjustable via an iPad, are provided to adjust for changing occupancy levels. The restaurant can also heighten the “buzz” around the bar and lower it for the guests in the dining areas.

Meyer Sound created a short video describing the system in detail. Owners John Paluska, GM Andrew Hoffman  and Studio KDA’s Marites Abueg appear as well!

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“One Solution to the Housing Crunch: Giving Millennials the Community they Crave”

by Alexandra Mar, Bisnow SF, February 19, 2019

New research indicates California could be short as many as 3.5 million homes by 2025. The demand for housing is enormous, and the current pace of new project development and construction isn’t keeping up. That might be because developers are looking at multifamily housing opportunities all wrong.  The answer to the affordability dilemma may not be just about lowering the cost of construction. Charles Kahn, managing principal at architecture and design firm Studio KDA, believes it is about evolving the concept.

In Kahn’s school of thought, the ideal co-living arrangement is one that takes into account an urban, active lifestyle and proximity to a like-minded community. But this isn’t just dorm living. Each bedroom has its own kitchenette and bathroom attached — essentially, a private micro-studio, branching out from an appealing and accessible, beautifully furnished central shared space. Housemates find each other via the same tech that powers dating apps. 

Read the entire article here

El Cerrito Multi-Family Project, by Studio KDA

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