Recently, Los Angeles City Planning released a draft ordinance to permanently codify the streamlining provisions of Mayor Bass’ Executive Directive #1.  Although ED#1 has been a successful step in a helpful direction to address our ongoing housing crisis, the draft ordinance as currently written is a step in the wrong direction.

To better understand many of those concerns, please review the letter that was prepared by the Community Corporation of Santa Monica.  (*Community Corp.’s Executive Director Tara Barauskas is a Public Director on the AIA|LA Board)

City Planning is accepting written comments through October 30, 2023, via email at planning.housingpolicy@lacity.org

We encourage you to review the draft ordinance and submit written comments about your concerns, etc. Please copy me at will@aialosangeles.org, so that we can help amplify and leverage your insight and recommendations.

This is what AIA|LA is sharing with LACP:

The AIA Los Angeles strongly believes that housing is a basic human right, that housing all Angelenos, particularly the most vulnerable, is essential to the health and vitality of our communities. I am speaking today to underscore our support for efforts to make permanent the streamlining of entitlements, permitting, and construction of 100% affordable housing in the City as originally envisioned and intended by ED #1.

We have a number of concerns regarding the draft Ordinance to make the next iteration of ED-1 permanent and feel that there are issues that undermine the initial spirit of the Mayor’s Executive Directive, in particular:

I.  Regarding the waivers or modification of any development standards, the Ordinance sets a limit of two waivers or incentives. We feel that this is arbitrary and hinders the progress for 100% affordable housing developments, as LA’s complex zoning and overlays is a minefield of obstacles both large and small which could derail or increase the cost of projects. This increases the need for multiple waivers and incentives. Additionally, state density bonus laws do not place a cap on development waivers, and actually do the opposite, so the ordinance as proposed raises the bar where the bar shouldn’t be raised. AIA Los Angeles recommends removing the proposed limit to the number of waivers/incentives allowed, which should be determined on a case by case basis.

II.  The processes described in the proposed ordinance focus on the Planning Department but other City departments, as mentioned in the ED-1 implementation memo, seem to be omitted. AIA Los Angeles asks for further clarification around whether the draft ordinance will allow a coordinated, expedited process from other city departments for securing entitlements, building permits, and construction inspection.

III.  The City should prioritize efficient processing throughout the production cycle. AIA Los Angeles asks that in the instance where an affordable housing site is not eligible for entitlement streamlining that the project be eligible for streamlined permitting and inspections once approved. As noted above, this should be coordinated through all City departments until Certificates of Occupancy are issued.

IV.  Because of the tremendous diversity of conditions across the City of Los Angeles, we would encourage removing any 100% exclusions from the Ordinance. An example of this would be the exclusion of all R-1 zones universally. There are many instances of R-1 lots surrounded by denser zoning that would be considered appropriate for 100% affordable projects. Such cases should be subject to the discretion of a Building Official or other City administrator rather than making the project ineligible.