Imagine turning your backyard into a versatile living space that is not only easy to build but also seamlessly integrated into your neighborhood. That's exactly what’s happening in Berkeley now—thanks to a groundbreaking approval process for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) from a local homebuilding innovator called Type Five. This new pre-approval by the city has made constructing backyard homes more straightforward and less time-consuming, often completing the entire process in just five to six months. And this is where it gets truly interesting—such developments could potentially reshape how we think about affordable housing, multi-generational living, and community development.
Recently, a family in South Berkeley, led by Jeroen Dewulf, completed a cozy ADU in their backyard, making it a practical space for his in-laws to visit, stay longer, and even serve as a dedicated home office. Dewulf expressed his enthusiasm, highlighting the design's qualities—especially the large windows and doors that can double as windows, allowing a flood of natural daylight into the space. For Dewulf, who often spends time reading and writing for work, having abundant natural light was a significant advantage. The family’s growing needs didn’t stop there—when their baby arrived, they cleverly adapted their main house by converting Dewulf’s office into an additional bedroom.
Streamlining the Complex World of Home Building
Building a home is often an overwhelming endeavor, from hiring architects, managing permits, to coordinating with various contractors. The entire process can feel daunting, especially for homeowners with little prior experience. Recognizing this challenge, Type Five has created a comprehensive platform that aims to simplify the entire journey. They combine innovative software with automation to enable clients to design homes tailored to their specific needs and budgets, effectively making the process more accessible.
Homeowners can select the layout, size, and specific interior features—from the placement of windows to cabinetry options—all from a curated palette of high-quality finishes. The key benefit here is empowerment: families become their own architects, customizing homes that fit their lifestyle, timeline, and financial constraints, rather than relying solely on traditional, often expensive, architect-led projects.
What sets Type Five apart is their proprietary homebuilding operating system, which bridges the gap between costly custom designs and the more rigid, less flexible prefab solutions. This middle ground allows for personalized homes that are both affordable and adaptable to various site conditions—especially important in neighborhoods where space might be limited or specific zoning rules apply.
A Vision Rooted in Community and Accessibility
Aleksis Bertoni, a Berkeley native and one of the company's co-founders, started Type Five with a clear goal: to make homeownership more accessible, particularly for younger generations facing rising housing costs. He views ADUs as a clever “middle housing” solution—smaller, affordable units that nestle into existing neighborhoods, helping to address California’s broader housing shortages.
Berkeley: Pioneering Support for Pre-Approved ADUs
Berkeley continues to lead the way in making housing more available and affordable. This year, the city passed the Missing Middle Ordinance, which encourages the development of multi-family housing types that fill the gap between single-family homes and larger apartment complexes. Additionally, Berkeley’s planning department has streamlined the permit process for ADUs, lowering costs and reducing wait times.
These efforts culminated in California’s Assembly Bill 1332, enacted in 2023, which mandates that cities develop programs for pre-approving ADU plans. Significantly, Type Five was the first to receive such approval within Berkeley—an important milestone in demonstrating how policy reforms can support innovative building methods.
The company's first pre-approved plan in Berkeley is a compact 575-square-foot, one-bedroom layout designed to fit the typical backyard size found in the city. This plan features a versatile, multi-use space, complete with a built-in kitchen, sustainable bathroom with laundry facilities, and a spacious bedroom outfitted with custom storage. This exact plan, showcased on their website, was previously constructed for another local homeowner, exemplifying how such standardized yet flexible options are now becoming more common.
Dewulf and his family’s decision to build their ADU was heavily influenced by Berkeley’s support and the modern, streamlined approach from Type Five. Dewulf notes that before Berkeley eased restrictions, fitting such a structure into their small garden might have been impossible.
What impressed Dewulf most was the holistic approach Type Five offers—thinking about not just the building itself but how it integrates into their backyard, optimizing space and positioning for aesthetic and functional harmony. Today, his daughter often runs across the yard to hug her grandparents, a simple yet powerful sign of how these homes foster stronger family connections and community ties.
As more cities consider similar pathways, the debate around ADUs continues—are they the solution to our housing crisis, or do they come with unforeseen consequences? We invite you to share your thoughts below—do you believe pre-approved, customizable backyard units are the future of affordable living, or do they pose unique challenges we haven't yet fully addressed?
