In this article, we delve into the world of dingbat apartment buildings in Los Angeles, which provided affordable and sometimes stylish housing options for generations of dreamers in the city. During the 1950s and ’60s, developers capitalized on the housing shortage by tearing down older buildings and constructing two- or three-story apartment complexes called dingbats. These buildings, typically subdivided into multiple units, featured minimal outdoor space, with a carport located beneath the second floor. Dingbats became a common sight in Los Angeles, alongside the iconic single-family suburban homes that defined the Southern California lifestyle.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-09-24/a-design-history-of-l-a-s-dingbat-apartment-buildings