Around the Corner

• Last Tuesday, LA City Council passed an ordinance to streamline affordable housing: The Affordable Housing Streamlining Ordinance codifies Mayor Karen Bass’s Executive Directive 1 into city law, promising accelerated approvals for 100% affordable housing projects. The ordinance requires city approval within 60 days—though the data shows that these deadlines are often missed in practice.

• California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection won’t meet year-end deadline to finish regulations to protect homes from wildfires: Officials will wait until March 2026 to continue work on regulations to require ember-resistant zones, called Zone Zero. This means that mandates affecting roughly 2 million homes may not take effect until 2029 or later.

The Week Ahead

LA City Council Sessions are in Recess

Dec 15 | Santa Monica Architectural Review Board

• 2244 23^rd St, 25ARB-0244: Review a modification to the required additional minimum stepbacks for upper stories for a second-story addition to an existing one-story single-unit dwelling located within the Single-Unit Residential (R1) Zoning District, pursuant to Santa Monica Municipal Code Section 9.07.030(A)(2)(b)(i)(3). Report.

• 1527 19^th St, 22ARB-0170: Review of the design for first- and second-story additions to an existing single-story residence, resulting in a two-story, 3,543 sf structure at the front of the parcel, located in the R2 (Low Density Residential) Zoning District. Report.

• 817 16th St, 25ARB-0241: Review of the design for a four-story, 50-foot-tall, 14,587 sf condominium development consisting of 8 units (6 market rate units; 2 affordable units), with one level of subterranean parking located in the R2 (Low Density Residential) Zoning District. Report.

• 1752 Cloverfield Blvd, 25ARB-0232: Review of the design for the construction of a 3-story, 45’ tall, approximately 56,719 square feet (above grade) self-storage facility with four levels of subterranean self-storage floor area consisting of approximately 173,194 sf located in the IC (Industrial Conservation) Zoning District. Report.

   

Dec 16 | Pasadena Design Commission

Special Meeting

• 490 N. Lake Ave, DHP2025-00205: Demolish existing structures to construct a new seven-story mixed-use building with 149 residential dwelling units (24 affordable units), commercial space, and at-grade parking. Preliminary Consultation. Report.

• 2180 E. Foothill Blvd, DHP2025-00163: Construction of a new two-story, 26,000 sf transit operations and maintenance facility for transit buses. Concept Design Review. Report.

Dec 17 | West LA Area Planning Commission

• 318, 320, 322, & 324 East Sunset Ave, ZA-2024-3173-CUB-1A: Appeal of ZAD decision to deny, pursuant to Section 12.24 W.1 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, a Conditional Use Permit to allow the sale and dispensing of a full line of alcoholic beverages for on-site consumption in conjunction with an existing 4,648 sf bakery, 405 sf retail space, and a 901 sf restaurant

Week in Review

Highlighted Applications

City of LA 

• 1280 Piedra Morada Dr, ADM-2025-6867-BIO-CCB: Fire rebuild within 110% of prior fire building per e01 to build a new 2-story single-family residence with detached ADU to replace existing detached structure before fire, and grading and drainage

• 1531 Sawtelle Blvd, CPC-2023-5657-DB-VHCA-M1: Demo existing 2,500 sf retail building and construction of a new multifamily dwelling building with nine dwelling units, within one very low income unit on a 7,029 sf lot in the [Q]C2-1 zone

• 9915 N Pine Ridge Lane, VTT-85020-SL: 6 new small vacant lots on an existing vacant lot per SB 1123

• 1703 S Burlington Ave, ADM-2025-6859-ADUH: Pursuant to AB 2299 and SB 1069 in the Pico-Union HPOZ Preservation Plan for alterations to architectural features

• 537 S Coronado St, EAR-2025-6832-AH-PHP-HCA: New 7-story, 42 residential dwellings 100% affordable

• 17323 Ventura Blvd, APCSV-2025-6834-ZC-SPPC: Zone change from (Q)C4-1VL-to C4-1VL in conjunction with a proposed medical office use, which is not permitted per the existing Q conditions per ordinance no. 157466

Highlighted Completions

City of LA

• 963 S Wilton Pl, DIR-2025-3247-CCMP-HCA: Approved with Conditions, new construction of three new duplexes (3-story each) + 1 attached ADU

• 10401 Sunland Blvd, DIR-2025-3512-SPPC: Approved with conditions demo of existing restaurant for construction of two new commercial buildings (11,059 sf retail and restaurant space)

• 503 S Catalina St, VTT-84758-CC: Approved with conditions the construction of an existing 12-unit apartment building into 12 condominiums with 12 covered parking spaces in two detached garages

• 4620 Hollywood Blvd, DIR-2024-8110-TOC-SPPC-HCA: Approved with conditions the new construction of 6 story 28 residential unit apartment building