From the desk of Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director of Government & Public Affairs

The Top Take-Aways from our 2023 AIA|LA Legislative Day(s) at City Hall

From December 4 to 13, over 75 architects, designers, and emerging professionals participated in our annual advocacy event at Los Angeles City Hall.  Over the course of 15+ meetings, we listened to the top priorities of our civic leaders (Councilmembers, Department heads, Deputy Mayors, etc.) with special attention on how AIA can help provide leadership and expertise to help advance these initiatives.  We also leveraged this opportunity to share the 2023 AIA|LA Advocacy Platform and identified champions at City Hall willing to help us bring these recommendations forward.

Top Take-Aways Include:

1. Expanding and incentivizing adaptive reuse: AIA|LA is advocating for policies that make it easier and more financially viable to convert existing buildings into new uses, particularly housing. This includes initiatives like allocating funding for programs similar to Calgary’s Downtown Development Incentive Program, expanding citywide the Community Benefits Fee Ordinance, and clarifying how different incentive programs can be combined together.

2. Addressing the housing shortage through procedural reforms: AIA|LA is pushing for changes to make it easier and faster to build new housing, particularly affordable housing. This includes streamlining the permitting process, allowing adaptive reuse by right, creating a public list of potential housing development sites, and pre-approving standardized plans.

3. Prioritizing embodied carbon in building design and construction: AIA|LA is calling for policies that encourage the use of low-carbon building materials and construction practices to reduce the environmental impact of the built environment. This aligns with the organization’s broader commitment to sustainability and resilience.

4. Promoting design thinking and regional awareness: AIA|LA is working to educate the public and policymakers about the importance of design in shaping livable and sustainable communities. This includes initiatives like hosting educational programs and advocacy events, and promoting collaboration between architects, designers, and other stakeholders.

5. Engaging with civic leadership: AIA|LA is actively building relationships with elected officials and decision-makers to ensure that the voices of architects and designers are heard when it comes to shaping the built environment. This includes initiatives like hosting AIA LA Legislative Day(s) at City Hall and holding regular meetings with key officials.

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LACP Design Review Sessions

In 2024, we will be coordinating thirty-six virtual design review sessions, which will serve as opportunities for architects and designers to help the Los Angeles City Planning’s Urban Design Studio critically review upcoming projects throughout the City.

Upcoming sessions include:

Join us here w/ RSVP to gain zoom access.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director, Government & Public Affairs
t: 213.639.0764
e: will@aialosangeles.org
www.aialosangeles.org