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The State of California is requiring LA to find enough zoning capacity to accommodate 485,000 new housing units by 2029. This is enough housing to accommodate more than 1 million people in the next eight years. The City is embarking on a major rezoning effort (Housing Element) that will include adaptive reuse of existing buildings, use of public lands and rezoning commercial corridors as well as expanding developer incentives that allows for increased density and streamlining of the approval processes. But this rezoning also targets massive rezoning of single‐family neighborhoods.
LA Planning has clearly stated there is enough zoning currently to meet 230,000 units which leaves the city the need to find zoning for an additional 255,000 units (485,000-230,000=255,000) in order to meet the State mandate. But the Planning Department’s Housing Element is proposing rezoning for 1.4 million units. To reach this absurd number, Planning is upzoning large areas of single family homes. Remember, ADUs and SB9 have already upzoned single-family neighborhoods. Unbelievably the Housing Element does not account for SB9 developments in their tabulation and leaves out vast areas where ADU’s are allowed.
United Neighbors (www.unitedneighbors.net), is a statewide organization made up of renters, homeowners and community groups, and includes our Association and President, Cindy Chvatal Keane, was created to inform neighborhood organizations of what is happening with state laws that impact neighborhoods and how to find better “community based” solutions for adding much needed affordable housing without destroying single-family neighborhoods or low density multi-family neighborhoods.
Using the city’s own data, United Neighbors found Planning has identified 5.6 times more housing capacity (1 .4 million units) than is required by state law. Planning does not need to touch single-family or low density multi-family neighborhoods to meet the required housing needs.
United Neighbors is now working with our neighborhood, other neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles, our councilperson and city government to craft new area-specific options for meeting housing targets. These targets would preserve our beautiful, historic and affordable neighborhoods; preserve smaller multi-family buildings, rent controlled apartments, and courtyard housing.
The city is in the process of finalizing a draft of their plan scheduled to be released in the fall. United Neighbors is working with dozens of communities throughout CD5 preparing a comprehensive presentation for our Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky in mid-August. Our sole mission is to gain her support for the CD5 and city wide ‘Community Based Planning Solutions’ that will provide more equitable and affordable housing while persevering the communities of Los Angeles and enhancing livability for all.
Remember, we’re all volunteers! Join a committee!
www.HancockPark.org
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