MattBaran
@mattbaran.bsky.social
Architect. Developer. AIA. NCARB. Founder @ Baran Studio. Professor @ USF, AAU, UCB ARCH & MREDD. Posts on design, construction, R.E., entrepreneurship & tech.
OAK. LAX. DTW. LAS.
www.baranstudio.com
OAK. LAX. DTW. LAS.
www.baranstudio.com
Construction has STARTED!
This 2 unit fee simple subdivision is the FIRST all-new development the City of Berkeley has approved under SB 684 🏘️
We used 100% the underlying R-2 Zoning to qualify for state law that reduces most lot requirements… ⬇️
This 2 unit fee simple subdivision is the FIRST all-new development the City of Berkeley has approved under SB 684 🏘️
We used 100% the underlying R-2 Zoning to qualify for state law that reduces most lot requirements… ⬇️
November 4, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Construction has STARTED!
This 2 unit fee simple subdivision is the FIRST all-new development the City of Berkeley has approved under SB 684 🏘️
We used 100% the underlying R-2 Zoning to qualify for state law that reduces most lot requirements… ⬇️
This 2 unit fee simple subdivision is the FIRST all-new development the City of Berkeley has approved under SB 684 🏘️
We used 100% the underlying R-2 Zoning to qualify for state law that reduces most lot requirements… ⬇️
We know increasing supply is key to lowering the cost of housing. SB-1123 can help.
Here’s the process for 1123 feasibility that I’ve been running with developers all over California🧵⬇️
Hope it helps!
Pictured below: AI Render of SB-1123 test fit for 6 units on an R-1 Lot in Los Angeles
Here’s the process for 1123 feasibility that I’ve been running with developers all over California🧵⬇️
Hope it helps!
Pictured below: AI Render of SB-1123 test fit for 6 units on an R-1 Lot in Los Angeles
October 11, 2025 at 5:08 PM
We know increasing supply is key to lowering the cost of housing. SB-1123 can help.
Here’s the process for 1123 feasibility that I’ve been running with developers all over California🧵⬇️
Hope it helps!
Pictured below: AI Render of SB-1123 test fit for 6 units on an R-1 Lot in Los Angeles
Here’s the process for 1123 feasibility that I’ve been running with developers all over California🧵⬇️
Hope it helps!
Pictured below: AI Render of SB-1123 test fit for 6 units on an R-1 Lot in Los Angeles
Check out this interactive map that shows how SB-79 will (may?) play out across the state.
Link below.
Link below.
October 11, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Check out this interactive map that shows how SB-79 will (may?) play out across the state.
Link below.
Link below.
“The economic conditions kind of override everything”
Even less would be built if it weren’t for new state laws. California is consistently outpaced by other states and the country as a whole. Affordability continues to suffer. The shortage is deepening and prices are set to skyrocket.
Even less would be built if it weren’t for new state laws. California is consistently outpaced by other states and the country as a whole. Affordability continues to suffer. The shortage is deepening and prices are set to skyrocket.
September 26, 2025 at 4:51 PM
“The economic conditions kind of override everything”
Even less would be built if it weren’t for new state laws. California is consistently outpaced by other states and the country as a whole. Affordability continues to suffer. The shortage is deepening and prices are set to skyrocket.
Even less would be built if it weren’t for new state laws. California is consistently outpaced by other states and the country as a whole. Affordability continues to suffer. The shortage is deepening and prices are set to skyrocket.
This CA SB-684 project was approved for West Oakland last week.
This one has been through a lot. Multiple owners, multiple entitlements, multiple permits.
Really hoping it sticks this time because there aren’t many people building in Oakland, and that’s going to have an impact down the road.
This one has been through a lot. Multiple owners, multiple entitlements, multiple permits.
Really hoping it sticks this time because there aren’t many people building in Oakland, and that’s going to have an impact down the road.
September 8, 2025 at 2:46 PM
This CA SB-684 project was approved for West Oakland last week.
This one has been through a lot. Multiple owners, multiple entitlements, multiple permits.
Really hoping it sticks this time because there aren’t many people building in Oakland, and that’s going to have an impact down the road.
This one has been through a lot. Multiple owners, multiple entitlements, multiple permits.
Really hoping it sticks this time because there aren’t many people building in Oakland, and that’s going to have an impact down the road.
You get what you pay for…
Quality matters, but not everything calls for the highest quality.
Matching quality to context is essential.
In a development deal, if you over-build you’ll never recapture the expense. If you under-build you leave money on the table.
Finding a balance is key.
Quality matters, but not everything calls for the highest quality.
Matching quality to context is essential.
In a development deal, if you over-build you’ll never recapture the expense. If you under-build you leave money on the table.
Finding a balance is key.
August 27, 2025 at 4:39 PM
You get what you pay for…
Quality matters, but not everything calls for the highest quality.
Matching quality to context is essential.
In a development deal, if you over-build you’ll never recapture the expense. If you under-build you leave money on the table.
Finding a balance is key.
Quality matters, but not everything calls for the highest quality.
Matching quality to context is essential.
In a development deal, if you over-build you’ll never recapture the expense. If you under-build you leave money on the table.
Finding a balance is key.
Neighbors often tell you that if you had just notified them, they would have been nicer.
In my experience that’s not the case.
They’re almost always angry about change.
(Photo of our Chapman project in Jingletown. Ask me about the neighbors!)
In my experience that’s not the case.
They’re almost always angry about change.
(Photo of our Chapman project in Jingletown. Ask me about the neighbors!)
May 27, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Neighbors often tell you that if you had just notified them, they would have been nicer.
In my experience that’s not the case.
They’re almost always angry about change.
(Photo of our Chapman project in Jingletown. Ask me about the neighbors!)
In my experience that’s not the case.
They’re almost always angry about change.
(Photo of our Chapman project in Jingletown. Ask me about the neighbors!)
Last week I walked this 100k prefab SFD / ADU in North Hollywood.
The guy who makes them placed 4 on his property as part of an SB-9 deal. He estimates install cost for all 4 units was another 100k.
All in 500k. For 4 units.
The guy who makes them placed 4 on his property as part of an SB-9 deal. He estimates install cost for all 4 units was another 100k.
All in 500k. For 4 units.
May 26, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Last week I walked this 100k prefab SFD / ADU in North Hollywood.
The guy who makes them placed 4 on his property as part of an SB-9 deal. He estimates install cost for all 4 units was another 100k.
All in 500k. For 4 units.
The guy who makes them placed 4 on his property as part of an SB-9 deal. He estimates install cost for all 4 units was another 100k.
All in 500k. For 4 units.
The Baran Studio Density Guide provides a framework for unlocking housing capacity through replicable, policy-aligned design strategies.
We break down key mechanisms like ministerial approvals, subdivision reforms, and ADU policy shifts into deployable tactics across diverse site types.
Link👇🏼
We break down key mechanisms like ministerial approvals, subdivision reforms, and ADU policy shifts into deployable tactics across diverse site types.
Link👇🏼
May 16, 2025 at 4:44 PM
The Baran Studio Density Guide provides a framework for unlocking housing capacity through replicable, policy-aligned design strategies.
We break down key mechanisms like ministerial approvals, subdivision reforms, and ADU policy shifts into deployable tactics across diverse site types.
Link👇🏼
We break down key mechanisms like ministerial approvals, subdivision reforms, and ADU policy shifts into deployable tactics across diverse site types.
Link👇🏼
This level of stupid is difficult to comprehend.
May 5, 2025 at 10:52 PM
This level of stupid is difficult to comprehend.
Great time at UC Berkeley MREDD final reviews yesterday.
One of the most interesting presentations showed how housing in Rockridge would not pencil under current zoning regulations, even with new state law or density bonuses.
One of the most interesting presentations showed how housing in Rockridge would not pencil under current zoning regulations, even with new state law or density bonuses.
April 30, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Great time at UC Berkeley MREDD final reviews yesterday.
One of the most interesting presentations showed how housing in Rockridge would not pencil under current zoning regulations, even with new state law or density bonuses.
One of the most interesting presentations showed how housing in Rockridge would not pencil under current zoning regulations, even with new state law or density bonuses.
The difference between a project penciling or not comes in part through an understanding of complex local codes and local politics and using design to work within those constraints. A good reading of code paired with good design can bring down the cost per unit and relative total project cost.
April 23, 2025 at 4:36 PM
The difference between a project penciling or not comes in part through an understanding of complex local codes and local politics and using design to work within those constraints. A good reading of code paired with good design can bring down the cost per unit and relative total project cost.
Project costs have been increasing exponentially, including A&E, high city fees, and construction, along with less tangible costs such as subjective design standards and risk of NIMBYs that work to block density. These in turn cause delays that can cost LOTS of time and money.
April 23, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Project costs have been increasing exponentially, including A&E, high city fees, and construction, along with less tangible costs such as subjective design standards and risk of NIMBYs that work to block density. These in turn cause delays that can cost LOTS of time and money.
This is how you get elected.
Promise things that sound great and people will love, like making housing cheap or free.
Then enact policies that ultimately make housing more expensive.
You can always blame developers later.
Promise things that sound great and people will love, like making housing cheap or free.
Then enact policies that ultimately make housing more expensive.
You can always blame developers later.
April 22, 2025 at 2:54 PM
This is how you get elected.
Promise things that sound great and people will love, like making housing cheap or free.
Then enact policies that ultimately make housing more expensive.
You can always blame developers later.
Promise things that sound great and people will love, like making housing cheap or free.
Then enact policies that ultimately make housing more expensive.
You can always blame developers later.
These people said I ruined their neighborhood character and ran me out of town!
April 18, 2025 at 3:55 PM
These people said I ruined their neighborhood character and ran me out of town!
I’m now officially a “Palisades Fire Incident Contractor”. Not sure whether the fact I was able to obtain this permit is a sign of progress—or the fact I needed it at all a symptom of the opposite.
March 28, 2025 at 3:25 PM
I’m now officially a “Palisades Fire Incident Contractor”. Not sure whether the fact I was able to obtain this permit is a sign of progress—or the fact I needed it at all a symptom of the opposite.
They could’ve used that here…
March 26, 2025 at 2:37 PM
They could’ve used that here…
This project was an early example of a mini-lot subdivision, a precursor to the kind of work we’re now pursuing using SB-684.
We used a bunch of fun & creative cost-effective strategies—wood beams that extend outside, recycled wood windows, a small fountain, and gutters repurposed as planters.
We used a bunch of fun & creative cost-effective strategies—wood beams that extend outside, recycled wood windows, a small fountain, and gutters repurposed as planters.
March 26, 2025 at 2:31 PM
This project was an early example of a mini-lot subdivision, a precursor to the kind of work we’re now pursuing using SB-684.
We used a bunch of fun & creative cost-effective strategies—wood beams that extend outside, recycled wood windows, a small fountain, and gutters repurposed as planters.
We used a bunch of fun & creative cost-effective strategies—wood beams that extend outside, recycled wood windows, a small fountain, and gutters repurposed as planters.
Things that keep me up at night #814. Ornamentation
March 26, 2025 at 6:06 AM
Things that keep me up at night #814. Ornamentation
Went to another Retwit meetup Friday—small/mid devs gathering in bars and beer gardens to talk shop. No fees, no panels, just real deal stories and info. Scrappy, informal, way more useful than most RE events. These are popping up all over, love to see it.
March 23, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Went to another Retwit meetup Friday—small/mid devs gathering in bars and beer gardens to talk shop. No fees, no panels, just real deal stories and info. Scrappy, informal, way more useful than most RE events. These are popping up all over, love to see it.
I’ve had no less than a dozen 5th graders tell me they would buy this house I designed as a collaboration with Ai. So if anyone’s interested in building it, you should have a buyer in about 20 years or so.
Unfortunately it will probably take about that long to get it built in California.
Unfortunately it will probably take about that long to get it built in California.
March 20, 2025 at 2:56 PM
I’ve had no less than a dozen 5th graders tell me they would buy this house I designed as a collaboration with Ai. So if anyone’s interested in building it, you should have a buyer in about 20 years or so.
Unfortunately it will probably take about that long to get it built in California.
Unfortunately it will probably take about that long to get it built in California.
Baran Studio was the architect for this 88 unit volumetric wood modular project, which is permanent housing for the homeless in downtown Oakland.
Completed in December of 2024, 1888 MLK was leased up immediately after completion by Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB).
Completed in December of 2024, 1888 MLK was leased up immediately after completion by Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB).
March 14, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Baran Studio was the architect for this 88 unit volumetric wood modular project, which is permanent housing for the homeless in downtown Oakland.
Completed in December of 2024, 1888 MLK was leased up immediately after completion by Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB).
Completed in December of 2024, 1888 MLK was leased up immediately after completion by Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB).
The lot is zoned R-2 which allows us 2 units on the lot. SB-684 would allow us 3 units at Mullin density (30 DUA or 1452sf/unit)
The law currently requires you maximize the lot to the underlying density, and we chose to stay at 2 units for marketability.
The law currently requires you maximize the lot to the underlying density, and we chose to stay at 2 units for marketability.
March 7, 2025 at 6:03 PM
The lot is zoned R-2 which allows us 2 units on the lot. SB-684 would allow us 3 units at Mullin density (30 DUA or 1452sf/unit)
The law currently requires you maximize the lot to the underlying density, and we chose to stay at 2 units for marketability.
The law currently requires you maximize the lot to the underlying density, and we chose to stay at 2 units for marketability.