Around the Corner

🏠 Last week, LA City Planning held a public webinar on the the proposed Housing Element Rezoning Program.

Includes the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) that will enable streamlined project reviews and introduce new incentives for eligible projects, particularly affordable housing near transit and Higher Opportunity Areas.

Proposes 3 new programs:

• Affordable Housing Incentive Program (AHIP): will streamline procedures and offer land use incentives for 100% affordable housing. Program allows affordable housing for <5 units, but with lower incentives than >5. City staff say this goes beyond what’s provided under ED1.

• Revisions to City’s local Density Bonus, including enhancements to project review procedures and revisions to affirm consistency with State Density Law

• Mixed Income Incentive Program (MIIP): focuses on increasing opportunities for more affordable housing in specific areas around major streets and transit access, including new Transit-Oriented Incentive Areas, Opportunity Corridor Incentive Areas, and Opportunity Corridor Transition Incentive Areas

📝 Things to note:

• Proposed Adaptive Reuse Ordinance: will expand the existing incentives to encourage converting underutilized buildings into new housing. Currently, only buildings constructed before July 1, 1974 are eligible. 

• Affordable Housing Linkage Fee Exemption for qualifying mixed-income housing. These projects are also exempt from Project Review, or Site Plan Review

• There is criticism that most single-family neighborhoods will remain the same under the program as development is encouraged in areas already zoned for multifamily

• City says that Opportunity Area Maps will change and evolve annually

The Week Ahead

July 30 | LA City Council

• Resolution to issue Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds, in an amount not to exceed $25,730,000, to finance the new construction of the 137-unit multifamily housing development known as West Third Apartments project located at 1900-1906 West 3rd Street in Council District 1

July 31 | LA City Council

• Ordinance First Consideration relative to the establishment of the Greater Leimert Park Village / Crenshaw Corridor Business Improvement District (BID)

Week in Review 

Highlighted Case Applications

Los Angeles

• 21241 Ventura Blvd, CPC-2024-4749-DB-SPPC-PR-HCA: Project review to demolish existing offices and construct new 628,208 sf, 7-story, 105-floor in height, 578-unit mixed-use development (48 VLI Units), 7,401 sf of ground floor commercial space, and 609 parking spaces in Woodland Hills. By providing 11% affordable units, the Project is eligible for an automatic 35% density bonus to achieve a total density of 578
  units, two incentives/concessions to achieve relief from relevant development standards, and an unlimited number of additional waivers of development standards. Applicant is requesting 2 off-menu incentives plus waivers of development standards.

  • The Specific Plan limits the height of buildings on the Project Site to 45 ft, but the requested Off-Menu Incentive allows a max. building height of 105 feet

• 1445 N Las Palmas Ave, DIR-2024-4781-TOC-PR-HCA: Demolition of existing building and construction of a new 7-story, 60-unit, 38,808 sf apartment building with 1st-2nd levels of 532 sf of commercial space and parking garage in Hollywood

• 1227 1/2 State Route 42, ADM-2024-4783-RDP: New 2-story type VB, 11-unit apartment building with carport, equipped throughout with NFPA 13r fore sprinklers

• 10449 Foothill Blvd, DIR-2024-4766-SPPC: New 1,540 sf storage on a residential property

Santa Monica

• 745 17th St, 24PRE-0006: Pre-submittal application for a proposed new 4-story multifamily residential building with a total of 24 residential units (4 affordable) and 57 on-grade parking spaces. The proposed project encompasses 745-749 17th street and there will be the demolition of 10 existing rent control units.

• 2307 Lincoln Blvd, 24ARB-0126; Architectural Review Board 7-stories, two levels of subterranean parking with 62 market rate ( 7 affordable residential units per State Density Bonus); 1,800 sf ground floor commercial

• 1126 Stanford St, 24ENT-0137: SB 9 Conformance Review for a second floor addition of 2,032 sf residential unit over an existing one story single family residence

Highlighted Completions

Los Angeles

• 6401 Wilshire Blvd, DIR-2024-1600-PR-VHCA: Approved with conditions a project review for reconfiguration of existing 16-story 112-unit multifamily building into 177 units (adding 65 units) with existing 5,100 sf of ground-floor retail. No expansion of footprint.

• 2512 S Centinela Ave, DIR-2023-6557-TOC-VHCA: Approved with conditions the demolition of an SFD and construction of a 14 unit apartment building with 2 VLI Units and one level of subterranean parking

• 1730 Armacost Ave, AA-2023-8394-PMLA-SL-HCA: Preliminary parcel map to subdivide one lot into three lots in West Los Angeles

• 5031 York Blvd, ZA-2024-1486-CUB: Approved with conditions the on-site consumption and off-site sale of beer & wine only in conjunction with 1, 332 sf restaurant with 23 interior seats operating from 9am-10pm for Ggiata Deli in Historic Highland Park

• 2800 S Kerckhoff Ave, DIR-2024-413-CDP-MEL-HCA: Approved with conditions the 2-Story 579 sf addition with 209 sf open roof deck to existing 2-Story SFD in Coastal San Pedro