flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

Los Angeles’s streamlined approval policies leading to boom in affordable housing plans

Affordable Housing

Los Angeles’s streamlined approval policies leading to boom in affordable housing plans

A 60-day limit for the city’s planning department to approve or reject projects is boosting developer interest.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor   | March 11, 2024
Image by Ira Gorelick from Pixabay
Image by Ira Gorelick from Pixabay

Since December 2022, Los Angeles’s planning department has received plans for more than 13,770 affordable units. The number of units put in the approval pipeline in roughly one year is just below the total number of affordable units approved in Los Angeles in 2020, 2021, and 2022 combined.

The boom in affordable housing plans started after Mayor Karen Bass’s executive order fast-tracked the approval process for housing projects with all their units considered affordable. The order requires the city’s planning department to approve or reject a submitted project within 60 days.

If a project meets a basic set of criteria, it must be approved. No city council hearings, no neighborhood outreach meetings, and no environmental impact studies are required.

The new policy, along with state measures encouraging affordable housing development, has led some developers who have never produced an affordable housing project to take the plunge. The new policy enables developers to start construction in less than a year after acquiring a lot—an unheard of time frame according to a developer quoted in a CalMatters report.

Related Stories

MFPRO+ News | Dec 11, 2023

U.S. poorly prepared to house growing number of older adults

The U.S. is ill-prepared to provide adequate housing for the growing ranks of older people, according to a report from Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. Over the next decade, the U.S. population older than 75 will increase by 45%, growing from 17 million to nearly 25 million, with many expected to struggle financially.

Transit Facilities | Dec 4, 2023

6 guideposts for cities to create equitable transit-oriented developments

Austin, Texas, has developed an ETOD Policy Toolkit Study to make transit-oriented developments more equitable for current and future residents and businesses.

Office Buildings | Dec 1, 2023

Amazon office building doubles as emergency housing for Seattle families

The unusual location for services of this kind serves over 300 people per day. Mary's Place spreads across eight of the office's floors—all designed by Graphite—testing the status quo for its experimental approach to homelessness support.

Multifamily Housing | Nov 30, 2023

A lasting housing impact: Gen-Z redefines multifamily living

Nathan Casteel, Design Leader, DLR Group, details what sets an apartment community apart for younger generations.

Industry Research | Nov 28, 2023

Migration trends find top 10 states Americans are moving to

In the StorageCafe analysis of the latest migration trends, each U.S. state was looked at to see the moving patterns of people in the last few years. These are the top 10 states that people are moving to.

MFPRO+ News | Nov 21, 2023

California building electrification laws could prompt more evictions and rent increases

California laws requiring apartment owners to ditch appliances that use fossil fuels could prompt more evictions and rent increases in the state, according to a report from the nonprofit Strategic Actions for a Just Economy. The law could spur more evictions if landlords undertake major renovations to comply with the electrification rule. 

MFPRO+ News | Nov 21, 2023

Underused strip malls offer great potential for conversions to residential use

Replacing moribund strip malls with multifamily housing could make a notable dent in the housing shortage and revitalize under-used properties across the country, according to a report from housing nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners.

Affordable Housing | Nov 16, 2023

Habitat receives approval for $400 million affordable housing redevelopment

Chicago-based Habitat, a leading U.S. multifamily developer and property manager, announced that its $400 million redevelopment of Marine Drive Apartments in Buffalo, N.Y., has received planned unit development (PUD) approval by the Buffalo Common Council.

Senior Living Design | Nov 7, 2023

Age-restricted affordable housing community opens in Rockville, Md.

Residences on the Lane boasts a total of 150 units, each designed to cater to various income levels for seniors aged 62 and up.

MFPRO+ New Projects | Nov 3, 2023

Los Angeles affordable housing community has grand opening

Yesterday, the grand opening took place for Mariposa Lily, a new Art Deco-inspired affordable housing project in the Pico Union district of Los Angeles, Calif.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category


MFPRO+ News

ENERGY STAR NextGen Certification for New Homes and Apartments launched

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently launched ENERGY STAR NextGen Certified Homes and Apartments, a voluntary certification program for new residential buildings. The program will increase national energy and emissions savings by accelerating the building industry’s adoption of advanced, energy-efficient technologies, according to an EPA news release. 



halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021