L.A. Pushes Density Bonus for Developers of Larger Apartments

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Third, fourth, fifth bedrooms would be exempt from floor-area calculations.

Los Angeles has introduced a bonus incentive to spur developers to build larger apartments to accommodate “multi-generational” families.

Paul Krekorian, the L.A. City Council president, has filed a motion to create a density bonus program that would exempt the square footage of third, fourth and fifth bedrooms-and third and fourth bathrooms-from floor area calculations of large family apartments, according to a report in Urbanize Los Angeles.

Krekorian’s proposal also would allow developers to add an additional story of height beyond current zoning restrictions, the report said.

“Fully a third of the households in the City of Los Angeles are comprised of four or more people, yet only 14% of the renter-occupied housing stock encompasses three- or four-bedroom units,” Krekorian’s motion stated. “The lack of three- or four-bedroom rental units makes it difficult for larger households to find appropriate and affordable rental housing.”

According to the council president, an estimated 17% of Los Angeles renter households live in overcrowded apartments.

The large family unit density bonus, which will be considered by the council’s Planning and Land Use Management Committee, would be added to the guidelines for Transit-Oriented Communities.

Krekorian’s proposal notes that the Los Angeles General Plan prioritizes a mix of housing types, including home ownership opportunities for families and multi-generational families. The council president also suggested that larger apartments will help the city adapt to the shift to remote work.

Under an eight-year housing plan approved by the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development in 2022, Los Angeles is required to implement zoning changes in 2024 that accommodate the construction of 255K new homes citywide.

In addition to updated zoning, the plan requires L.A. to prioritize projects in high-opportunity areas, enabling the redevelopment of public-facility zoned land, expanding community benefits programs, incentivizing the construction of accessory dwelling units, and assistance programs for lower-income homebuyers.

Planners also are working on a citywide adaptive reuse ordinance that will expand a program for converting dozens of aging Downtown office buildings into housing into a citywide effort.

In June, the city unveiled a plan to expand conversion approvals, which were restricted to office buildings constructed before 1974, to all buildings in the city that are at least 15 years old and any parking garage that is at least five years old.

Source: GlobeSt.