Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Historic-preservation group urges Monrovia to adopt bungalow courts as affordable housing option
Summary
The Monrovia Historic Preservation Group told the city council that bungalow courts can provide modest density and preserve neighborhood character; the organization asked the council to consider bungalow courts among preferred residential land uses.
Representatives of the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group presented a unanimous board endorsement urging the city to adopt bungalow courts as a preferred residential land use and as part of local strategies for affordable housing.
Fred Wasson, a member of the preservation group's board, said the board voted on April 27, 2025, to recommend bungalow courts as an approach that supplies “the right amount of density while maintaining a higher quality of life at a more affordable price.” He noted the form originated in the San Gabriel Valley more than 100 years ago and described local examples, including a recent Mountain View project that converted two standard residential lots into six separate units.
Wasson asked the council to evaluate bungalow courts as a tool for the city’s housing needs. “Whether as rental units or as owned single family houses, bungalow courts were originated over 100 years ago within the San Gabriel Valley and can still meet human needs at a human scale,” Wasson told the council. He said the group endorses bungalow courts as one of several solutions to Monrovia’s affordable-housing shortage.
Councilmember Sergio Jimenez introduced the speakers and noted the presentation had special resonance with the late Councilmember Gloria Crutchington’s prior interest in historic housing types. The presentation concluded without council action; councilmembers thanked the group and invited staff to consider the recommendation during housing-implementation discussions.
Ending The council did not take immediate action on zoning or code changes; staff and council members noted the presentation for consideration as part of ongoing housing planning work.
