LA's New Housing Plan Promotes Equitable Development

By LA City Planning

Image by David Mark from Pixabay

The Los Angeles City Planning (City Planning) and the Housing + Community Investment Department (HCIDLA) released the Housing Element of the General Plan, also called The Plan to House LA. This draft aims to accommodate nearly 500,000 housing units over the next eight years, with over 200,000 of those units reserved for lower-income residents.

In order to meet this goal and address Los Angeles's housing shortage, the City would need to add roughly 57,000 new units annually over the next eight years—meaning the City's housing production goals would increase from their current level by a factor of five.

The Plan to House LA will set new citywide strategies in motion to achieve a more equitable distribution of market-rate and affordable units across Los Angeles, providing quality access to housing for residents, including those with disabilities, large families, and older adults. The draft plan establishes clear goals and objectives to inform future policy considerations.

These strategies include an ambitious rezoning program for Los Angeles, one that will result in capacity for over 200,000 new housing units within three years of the plan's adoption. The rezoning program will increase density and allowances for housing, particularly in neighborhoods with access to good jobs, schools, and amenities.

"This plan, our Plan to House LA, was designed with our residents in mind, especially those who have been disenfranchised, excluded, and left without housing because of wide wealth gaps and a lack of affordable units," said Director of Planning Vince Bertoni. "We took it upon ourselves—as a City—to develop a series of strategies that would position us to be successful in confronting our housing challenges head-on. By carefully balancing production, affordable housing preservation, and protection, we intend to create new access to housing, make significant inroads to end chronic homelessness, and keep Angelenos housed without fears of displacement."

Before advancing the plan through the adoption process, City Planning and HCIDLA will hold outreach events to collect additional community input. After the City Planning Commission considers the final recommendations, it will advance to the full City Council for adoption later this fall and will guide the creation and implementation of the City's housing policy from 2021 to 2029.

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