AIA|LA ADVOCACY REPORT
March 7, 2023
From the desk of Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director of Government & Public Affairs
AIA Leadership Summit 2023
After two years of virtual gatherings, AIA’s premier chapter leadership training event returned to Washington, D.C. on February 14–17. The AIA Leadership Summit 2023 (formerly Grassroots) served as a forum to provide four days of vital leadership training designed to help participants become more effective leaders in their community.
To read my top five-take aways, CLICK HERE.
Recommendations to Improve & Advance Adaptive Reuse Citywide
An initiative of the AIA|LA Government Outreach Committee w/ the Leadership & Support of Omgivning
On March 7th, on behalf of AIA|LA and our 4500+ members, we shared with Mayor Karen Bass specific recommendations to improve and advance Adaptive Reuse citywide. We look forward to the opportunity to further connect with her and her senior advisors to integrate these recommendations into their 2023 priorities and initiatives.
Implementing these recommendations will help the City of Los Angeles address a multitude of challenges related to economic development, housing availability, affordability, & supply, and will serve as a roadmap for immediate climate action (embodied carbon & resilience, et al.), as well as, opportunities to enhance, preserve, and revitalize our neighborhoods.
If you are interested in joining a multidisciplinary working group of subject-matter experts to further advance these recommendations, then please reach out to me at will@aialosangeles.org.
CLICK HERE to read the recommendations.
Implementation Guidelines for Executive Directive 1
In response to Mayor Bass’ Executive Directive 1, LAHD, LADBS, and LACP have releases a memo detailing implementation guidelines about how to navigate the ministerial approval process.
ED #1 aims to streamline the approval of 100% affordable housing and temporary housing with the goal of reducing the entitlement process down to 60 days and the process for obtaining permits, utility connection, and certificate of occupancy down to 5 days for 100% affordable and 2 days for temporary shelter.
According to the guidelines, “Some of the features of the ED 1 Ministerial Approval Process include reduced timelines at all stages of the project review process, reduced City Planning filing fees, simplified procedures, and concurrent reviews with other departments.”
Click Here to review the steps, procedures, and requirements for projects using the ED 1 Ministerial Approval Process.
COVID-19 – EMERGENCY TOLLING OF DEADLINES RELATED TO EXPIRATION OF PERMITS AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
Please note that LAMC tolling deadlines expired on February 28, 2023. Therefore, since permits are valid for 2 years from the date of issuance, any applications submitted during the pandemic will start its two-year validity term as of March 1, 2023.
To read the official information bulletin from LADBS, please click here.
Proposed Site Plan Review Amendment for Affordable Housing (CPC-2023-1083-CA)
On March 14 (6pm), LACP is organizing a presentation and public hearing to review amendments to the site plan review process for affordable housing.
Virtual Presentation and Public Hearing
March 14 (6pm – 7:30pm)
Join Zoom Webinar:
https://planning-lacity-org.zoom.us/j/81817851217
Meeting ID: 818 1785 1217
Permanent Al Fresco Ordinance (CF 20-1074)
Do you have ideas for how to codify and make permanent many of the outdoor dining opportunities that we enjoyed during the City’s emergency response to the pandemic? If you have ideas for how to best shape the regulations to balance community impact, urban design, and a restaurant’s operational feasibility, then please review the proposed changes from LACP and reach out to me at will@aialosangeles.org with specific ideas for how to improve the Al Fresco Ordinance.
Details about the code amendment process can be found here.
Although LACP’s Al Fresco Ordinance is focused on expanding outdoor dining opportunities on private property, according to LACP, “concurrent efforts are underway by LADOT to draft regulations to permit in-street and curbside dining, and by the Bureau of Engineering to permit expanded sidewalk dining.”
Quarterly Meetings w/ LADBS
We’ve confirmed dates for our series of quarterly meeting with w/ Osama Younan, P.E. – General Manager, LADBS. These quarterly forums serve as an opportunity for AIA members to connect directly with LADBS leadership and to hear status updates and emerging initiatives. Kindly register via the links below.
These meetings will be on zoom again this year (for the time being). Please email will@aialosangeles.org specific items and issues that you’d like to add to the agenda at least one week in advance. We’ll tally the issues and share with Osama in advance so that he can best prepare responses with his team.
1. RSVP HERE = Monday, May 22 (12pm – 1pm)
2. RSVP HERE = Monday, September 25 (12pm – 1pm)
3. RSVP HERE = Monday, December 11 (12pm – 1pm)
PVP Design Review Sessions
In 2023, we will be coordinating thirty-six virtual design review sessions, which will serve as opportunities for architects and designers to help the Los Angles City Planning’s Urban Design Studio critically review upcoming projects throughout the City.
Upcoming sessions include:
+ Mar 7 (10am)
+ Mar 14 (10am)
+ Mar 21 (10am)
+ April 4 (10am)
Join us here w/ RSVP to gain zoom access.
AIA California
TRAVELS WITH SCOTT: A Different View of Capitol Hill from AIA California’s President
By Scott Gaudineer, AIA – 2023 AIA California President
Michael Anderson, AIA’s, Plan to Increase Home Ownership for Black and Brown Communities
by Tibby Rothman, Hon. AIA|LA
AIA National
Tax changes and incentives architecture firms should know about
By Engineered Tax Services
Increasingly, architects will be called to lead efforts in finding solutions to many of our society’s most pressing issues. To meet these challenges, as well as the unknown ones ahead, we must have the talent, passion, and creativity of a diverse cohort of students, professionals, and leaders.
The Guides for Equitable Practice, done in partnership with the University of Washington, the University of Minnesota, and The American Institute of Architects’ Equity and the Future of Architecture Committee (EQFA), are a vital part of AIA’s long-term commitment to lead efforts that ensure the profession of architecture is as diverse as the nation we serve.
These guides will help you make the business and professional case for ensuring that your organization meets the career development, professional environment, and cultural awareness expectations of current and future employees and clients.
Each chapter includes real-world-derived best practices, relevant research, and other tools to help you address a variety of employment and personnel issues about equity, diversity, and inclusion. Each guide begins with a baseline explanation of its topic, conveying the knowledge and language required to have meaningful conversations with individuals at any level of your firm. The user-friendly layout and short, consumable sections are designed so you can find the content you need easily and quickly.
What I’m Reading:
How States Are Incentivizing Local Housing Production: A Typology of State Pro-Housing Laws
AB 2295: Housing Developments Now Allowable Use on LEA-Owned Properties
A Choice for Cities: Radically Adapt or Wither Away
New York Has a New Public Spaces Czar to Help De-Clutter City Streets
State Bill Would Speed Up Converting Empty Downtown Offices to Housing
Dozens of Housing Bills Introduced by the Bill Deadline
Transitioning to All-Electric New Building in LA City
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director, Government & Public Affairs
t: 213.639.0764
e: will@aialosangeles.org
www.aialosangeles.org
