(12-13-24) LA City Council directed City Attorney to draft ordinance language
The following is copied from the LA Planning Department’s update on the actions coming out of the 12/10/24 City Council meeting:”
Los Angeles City Planning is pleased to announce that earlier this week on Dec. 10 the Los Angeles City Council acted on and voted to instruct the City Attorney to prepare the final ordinances associated with the Housing Element Rezoning Program. This milestone signifies a crucial step in creating an equitable, sustainable, and resilient City, where all Angelenos have access to housing.
At the meeting, Council heard over two hours of public comment and discussed revisions to the ordinances including expanding housing opportunities in single family areas near transit. The Council approved technical amendments to the Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance including aligning adaptive reuse provisions with the Responsible Hotel Ordinance and restricting residential conversions of larger hotels. Ultimately, the City Council voted to adopt recommendations from the PLUM Committee with minor technical amendments to the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) and Housing Element Sites and Minimum Density Ordinance, as well as the amendments to the Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance noted above. An audio recording of the meeting is available here (an audio recording in Spanish can be found here).
Before the CHIP Ordinance, Housing Element Sites and Minimum Density Ordinance, Resident Protections Ordinance, and Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance are considered by the Los Angeles City Council for final adoption, the City Attorney will prepare the ordinances. To stay informed on these ordinances, please subscribe to the council files associated with each draft ordinance by clicking the relevant tile below, and clicking the “subscribe via email” button on the web page to receive updates on future meeting dates.
About the Draft Citywide Housing Incentive Program Ordinance (CF 21-1230-S5)
The Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) Ordinance proposes several new programs that would streamline review procedures and introduce bold new incentives for eligible project types in order to expand access to affordable housing near transit, jobs, along major corridors, and in higher opportunity areas. These programs include the State Density Bonus Program, the Mixed Income Incentive Program, and the Affordable Housing Incentive Program.
State Density Bonus Program: Since the adoption of the City’s Density Bonus Ordinance in 2008, numerous state bills have made significant amendments to the State’s Density Bonus Law. The program aims to make key revisions to align with the State Density Bonus Law.
Mixed-Income Incentive Program: The Mixed-Income Incentive Program intends to codify new incentives for housing development projects along Opportunity Corridors and projects constructing Missing Middle typologies in Higher Opportunity Areas. Additionally, this program will memorialize transit-based incentives currently housed in the Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) Affordable Housing Incentive Guidelines.
Affordable Housing Incentive Program: The Affordable Housing Incentive Program offers new incentives for 100% Affordable Housing Projects with additional incentives for Higher and Moderate Resource areas. This program will also provide citywide tailored incentives for sites where residential uses are currently restricted, including sites owned by faith-based organizations or community land trusts, publicly owned land, and sites zoned for parking.
About the Draft Housing Element Sites and Minimum Density Ordinance (CF 21-1230-S6)
The Housing Element Sites and Minimum Density Ordinance is intended to enact state housing element law for different types of sites related to the most recent Housing Element of the General Plan. In particular, it addresses housing element law requirements around housing replacement, no net loss, by-right development for 20% affordable housing projects, and minimum densities. The various requirements apply to three different kinds of Housing Element Sites, including the Inventory of Sites, sites located on Prior Inventory of Sites, and Lower Income Rezoning Sites. In addition, the draft ordinance would add minimum density requirements to various multifamily zone classifications to facilitate the implementation of state law as well as ensure new development in these areas complies with policy objectives.
About the Draft Resident Protections Ordinance (CF 21-1230-S8)
The Resident Protections Ordinance would establish consistent protections for residents citywide and would expand access to new affordable housing for Angelenos. The ordinance would establish longer affordability terms (99 years), and ensure the equitable distribution and quality, including the size, location and amenities, of affordable units. It would also strengthen and expand housing replacement requirements and occupant protections, including a tenant’s right to remain, right to relocation, and right to return for all housing development projects.
About the Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (CF-21-1230-S9)
The proposed Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance will expand incentives for adaptive reuse projects to all areas outside of Downtown. It will encourage the conversion of underutilized buildings into new housing. Currently, only buildings constructed before July 1, 1974 are eligible. This updated ordinance establishes a faster approval process for the conversion of existing buildings and structures that are at least 15 years old to housing and expands adaptive reuse incentives citywide. Buildings between five and 15 years old or projects requesting additional relief from development standards may obtain approval from a Zoning Administrator through a Conditional Use Permit. Additionally, the Citywide Adaptive Reuse ordinance includes incentives for projects providing affordable housing.
(12-07-24) CHIP proposal on LA City Council agenda for 12-10-2024 Meeting
When:
- 8am public allowed to begin submitting speaker’s comment forms for in-person comment.
- 10am meeting officially begins.
- CHIP discussion is agenda item #35
Where:
- John Ferraro Council Chamber
- Room 340 – City Hall
- 200 N. Spring Street, LA 90012
Agenda:
- For a full copy, check 2024-12-10 LA City Council Agenda_Original.
- Scroll below public participation options notes below to see full agenda statement of the CHIP item.
Participate, Watch or Listen
To submit public comment in advance
- Email: https://cityclerk.lacity.org/publiccomment/
- Include case file #21-1230-S5
To submit public comment in-person
- Go in-person to the Council Chambers at the address above.
- Request a speakers form and reference case file #21-1230-S5
- There’s no way of predicting when the CHIP agenda item will come up for discussion.
- Be prepared to wait.
To participate in public comment via teleconference:
- Call special phone number: 1-669-254-5252
- Use Meeting No 160 535 8466, then press #.
- Press # again when prompted for participant ID.
- Once admitted to the meeting, press *9 to request to speak.
To monitor live stream, view on
To listen live to audio only, from the Westside call 310-471-CITY (2489)
Reference copy of the CHIP proposal, Agenda Item 35, page 33 of Agenda PDF
(11-04-24) PLUM revises some elements of CHIP, and has passed it for City Council consideration
This information regarding the PLUM review of CHIP at their meeting on 19-Nov-2024 is excerpted from LA Times coverage of this meeting. More specific details to be posted here after meeting minutes are available from the City Clerk.
- Amendment to CHIP passed: reducing the number of homes per lot for faith-based organizations developing affordable housing.
- Committee voted 4 to 0 to approve a City Planning Commission recommendation to leave single-family zoned parcels out of the CHIP program
- Single-family home zoning parcels can be developed via the City’s affordable housing incentive program if a property is owned by a public agency or a faith-based organization.
- As the LA Times notes, the version of CHIP coming out of PLUM can still be modified during City Council consideration.
(09-07-24) CHIP Consideration in City Planning Commission Meeting of 26-Sep-2024
In September 2024, LA Planning Department announced the Citywide Housing Incentives Program draft ordinances will be taken up on September 26, 2024 starting around 8:30am. It is possible to zoom-attend. Here’s the full text from the Planning letter than came out at that time. It includes useful links if you need to bone up on everything moving through the City on the updated Housing Element. Pretty much all of it is geared to inspire more housing production.
LA Planning Dept letter regarding in-progress Housing Element rework
Dear Interested Parties,
In June 2024, Los Angeles City Planning released the revised Housing Element Rezoning Program draft ordinances including the Citywide Housing Incentive Program Ordinance, the Housing Element Sites and Minimum Density Ordinance, and the Resident Protections Ordinance. Following the release of these drafts, City Planning hosted a public hearing on July 25th.
As a next step, City Planning is pleased to share that the proposed draft ordinances will be considered by the City Planning Commission (CPC) on Thursday, September 26, 2024. The meeting will begin after 8:30 a.m. and members of the public may attend in person in the John Ferraro Council Chamber, Room 340, 3rd Floor City Hall, 200 N. Spring St. (entrance on Main St), Los Angeles 90012, join virtually via Zoom, or listen via telephone. Additional information on how to participate in the meeting virtually or via phone will be available on the meeting agenda which will be released approximately 72 hours before the meeting. To view the meeting agenda and to search the date of the meeting, please visit this link. More information on this CPC meeting can also be found here.
The Staff Recommendation Report to the CPC will be available at least 10 days before the meeting date.
To view more information on the proposed Citywide Housing Incentive Program, Housing Element Sites and Minimum Density Ordinance, and Resident Protections Ordinance, please visit our webpage, where you will find resources such as Fact Sheets for each draft ordinance.
Following consideration by the CPC, the ordinances would move to the Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee of the City Council before eventually heading to the full City Council for consideration and adoption.
As a reminder, public comment has now closed. If you have questions about next steps in the adoption process for the proposed ordinances associated with the Housing Element Rezoning Program, please email [email protected].
Thank you.
City Planning Commission
Thursday, September 26, 2024, 8:30 am PST
Los Angeles City Hall
John Ferraro Council Chamber
200 N. Spring St. (entrance on Main St), Room 340, 3rd Floor
Los Angeles 90012
This meeting may be available virtually, in a hybrid format. Please check the meeting agenda approximately 72 hours before the meeting for additional information. To view the meeting agenda and to search the date of the meeting, please visit Planning4LA.org/hearings.
