ADU Builder in Southeast Beverly Hills

The Wilshire/La Cienega Station and ADU Parking

Metro's D Line Extension Section 1 opened on May 8, 2026, ending at a new station at Wilshire and La Cienega. Under state law, a city cannot require any parking for an ADU located within one-half mile walking distance of public transit. Many homes in the southeast corner of the city, around La Cienega Park, now fall inside that radius.

The measurement is walking distance, not a straight line on a map, so a lot that looks close may be farther along the street grid. We measure the actual route from the parcel to the station entrance during design. For lots outside the radius, state law still caps ADU parking at one space per unit or bedroom, whichever is less, and counts tandem driveway parking.

Proximity to a major transit stop also affects height. Within a half-mile walk, state law raises the minimum height a city must allow for a detached ADU from 16 feet to 18 feet, with up to 2 more feet to match the main house's roof pitch. On a small lot, those extra feet can make a sleeping loft workable.

Southeast Beverly Hills ADU Size Under the Central Area Guide

The City of Beverly Hills permits ADUs here, and the area sits south of Santa Monica Boulevard. That puts it on the lower side of the Central Area guide's split. The larger ADU type (BHMC 10-3-5001) can be up to 1,200 square feet below the boulevard, against 1,400 above it, and a detached version can rise to 22 feet.

As everywhere in the city, the lot's remaining allowable floor area can reduce that cap, while an ADU of at least 800 square feet stays protected regardless of floor area, coverage and front setback limits. For most southeast lots, 1,200 square feet is plenty: enough for a two-bedroom unit with room for a small yard between the buildings.

Southeast Beverly Hills Lots and Houses

Lots in this part of the city are generally smaller and more regular than the deep parcels north of Santa Monica Boulevard, and the houses are more modest in scale. Many date from the middle decades of the last century, with detached or attached garages that open onto a driveway or an alley.

Those garages make conversions a natural first option, especially since the parking they provided does not need to be replaced. Where a backyard has room, a detached ADU along the rear property line, using the 4-foot side and rear setbacks state law allows, can sit behind the house without crowding it. On the blocks closest to the city's commercial edges, some properties are duplexes or small apartment buildings. Those lots can add ADUs under the state's multifamily rules.

• Garage conversions on driveway and alley lots
• Detached ADUs at the rear setback line
• Junior ADUs inside smaller houses
• Multifamily ADUs on duplex and apartment lots

Renting an ADU Near La Cienega Park

An ADU near a rail station and a large city park is easy to picture as a rental. Beverly Hills allows ADU rentals for periods of 31 days or longer and prohibits short-term rental. Separate sale of the ADU is not allowed. Under state law, the city cannot make you live on site to build or lease the unit.

Many owners here use the ADU for family first. A unit that works for an aging parent today can house a long-term tenant later, and designing it with an accessible bathroom and a step-free entry keeps both options open. Those features cost little when they are designed in from the start.