|
Dear Angelenos,
City Planning continues to advance housing, and this month’s release of the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) Six-Month Progress Report underscores just how much movement can be made in a short period of time. Since CHIP took effect in February 2025, the program has driven proposals for more than 16,600 new homes, including 5,700+ covenanted affordable units, between Feb. 11 and Aug. 12. This clear and early response from the development community signals confidence in the City’s direction and the strength of the tools we have put in place.
CHIP creates the capacity for both the availability of new homes and the accessibility of where those homes are being built. Sixty-seven percent of all proposed units, including fifty-five percent of affordable units, are located in Higher Opportunity Areas with stronger access to schools, employment, transit, and long-term mobility. These are the types of results that help shape a more equitable Los Angeles.
The report also shows that ninety percent of formal applications are moving through streamlined, ministerial review. This is an early indicator that our shift toward greater efficiency through more administrative review and programs like Executive Directive 1 (ED1), which was permanently codified this month, continue to shape how we deliver housing. The coordinated workflows, faster timelines, and stronger cross-department alignment ensure that the city is delivering on its commitment to more efficiently review both mixed income and affordable housing and allow projects to move with greater speed and predictability.
These six-month results reflect a trajectory of more homes, smarter growth, and clearer pathways to affordability. Taken together with the Department’s transformative achievements this year, including the adoption of the New Zoning Code, CHIP reinforces a long-term commitment to expand choice for residents and support a more inclusive housing landscape citywide.
Read the full report here.
We are about solutions. We are planning for people. Together, we are #Planning4LA.
Sincerely,
| | |
Vince Bertoni,
Director of Planning
| | |
|
|
STATE ALIGNMENT
Emergency Shelter Code Amendment
| |
City Council adopted the Emergency Shelter Code Amendment in November 2025, updating the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) to align with state law (CF 24-1587). This code amendment removes provisions that limit residency in an emergency shelter to six months, harmonizing it with state law. Specifically, the amendment aligns the local LAMC definition of an emergency shelter (Ch 1 Sec. 12.80 and 12.81 and Ch 1A Sec. 1.6.2 and 1.6.3) with the definition in state law (CA Government Code 8698.4(c)(1)).
State law allows California jurisdictions to declare a “shelter crisis,” as the City of Los Angeles has done (CF 15-1138-S33), in order to take immediate action to alleviate the lack of available shelter for persons experiencing homelessness. This declaration allows emergency shelters to locate on publicly owned or leased land or on land owned by charitable organizations through a streamlined review process, reducing zoning and permitting barriers to expand access to emergency shelter.
Final Ch 1 Ordinance
Final Ch 1A Ordinance
|
| |
|
PUBLIC REVIEW
Olympic and Paralympic Planning and Zoning
Exemption Ordinance
| |
The Department released the proposed Olympic and Paralympic Planning and Zoning Exemption Ordinance, which would give temporary zoning relief to select projects needed to deliver the 2028 Games. These include operational facilities such as training sites, media centers, and fan zones, while excluding projects like housing demolition, hotel development, or major transit construction.
The ordinance is designed to streamline approvals so key Games-related work can move forward on time. Temporary projects would be removed after the Games, and any permanent project would require City Council approval through a public hearing.
Draft for Public Review
Public Comment | Open until City Council Adoption
| |
MORE INFO
Fact Sheet | Proposed Land Use Regulations | Contact | Newsletter Updates → Select Olympic
and Paralympic Ordinance under 'Current
Planning Initiatives'
|
| |
|
EXPLORE
San Pedro Zoning Code
Update (ZCU)
| |
A new interactive StoryMap for the San Pedro Zoning Code Update (ZCU) was released by City Planning, giving the community a clear, easy-to-use look at proposed zoning changes, draft regulations, and updated General Plan Land Use. This update builds on the recently adopted Wilmington–Harbor City and Harbor Gateway community plans and would bring the entire harbor area under the new citywide Zoning Code—creating a more consistent, modern, and easier-to-understand set of rules for future growth.
The StoryMap walks users through how the proposed zoning would support San Pedro’s Community Plan goals, including more walkable corridors, aligned land uses along key streets, and a clearer framework for where future housing and jobs can go.
Explore StoryMap
|
| |
|
PUBLIC REVIEW
Warner Center 2035 Cultural Amenities Master Plan (CAMP)
| |
City Planning, the Department of Cultural Affairs, and Council District 3 recently presented the Draft Warner Center 2035 Cultural Amenities Master Plan (CAMP) at a virtual community meeting on Oct. 23. The session introduced the draft plan’s long-term vision for cultural spaces, public art, and creative programming in Warner Center and fulfilled requirements of the Warner Center 2035 Specific Plan, which calls for a cultural amenity fee and a guiding plan before any funds can be spent. The meeting also served as a key opportunity for community members to share early public comments and ask questions about the draft.
The recorded presentation and a downloadable PDF of the slides are now available online, giving the community an easy way to review the material and understand how the CAMP will shape future cultural investment in the area. While the public comment period closed on Nov. 26, all feedback submitted during that window will help refine the final version of the plan.
Draft for Public Review
Meeting Recording
|
| |
|
SHARE YOUR VOICE
Shape Future Housing Policy
| The Department is collecting real experiences from Angelenos who have lived in, owned, or built small-scale multifamily homes, as well as those directly impacted by limited homeownership options and the broader affordability crisis. These stories help ground the Missing Middle LA Program in the lived realities of residents across the City and support a more responsive, people-centered approach to future housing policy. | |
The Missing Middle LA Program is a citywide effort to update the Zoning Code in alignment with new state housing laws and expand access to smaller, neighborhood-scale homes. The updates aim to create more attainable housing options, including ADUs, duplexes, triplexes, and small-lot townhomes, in order to meet the growing demand for alternatives to traditional single-family homes. Together, these proposed ordinances will give Angelenos greater flexibility to shape their own housing paths, whether by generating rental income, making space for multigenerational living, planning to age in place, or choosing to downsize.
City Planning also released the Senate Bill 1123 Implementation Memorandum, outlining State updates to the Starter Home Revitalization Act of 2021 (SHRA) that streamline approvals for subdivisions and small-scale projects of 10 or fewer units. Draft ordinances reflecting SHRA and other recent state housing laws will be released this winter for public review, with community events planned ahead of formal hearings and adoption in 2026.
Share Your Story
| |
MORE INFO
Fact Sheet | Kick-off Webinar Recording | Contact
Newsletter Updates → Select Missing Middle LA under 'Current Planning Initiatives'
|
| |
SHAPING TOMORROW'S VOICES
Audubon Middle School Career Day
| City Planner Denzel Henderson and CD10 Deputy Hakeem Parke-Davis present to students at Audubon Middle School. | |
Audubon Middle School hosted its Annual Career Day on Oct. 29, giving students a firsthand look at professions shaping Los Angeles and sparking interest in a wide range of professional pathways. With participation from Council District 10 and City Planning, the event offered a unique window into how local decisions and neighborhood planning unfold, grounding students in a central message: how community voices, including theirs, shape our City for a better tomorrow.
Council District 10’s Deputy for Planning and Economic Development, Hakeem Parke-Davis, expanded on this theme by walking students through current district initiatives, discussing how projects move from community input to implementation, and underscoring the importance of staying informed and engaged. Parke-Davis also encouraged students to confidently speak up for their communities and reminded them that their perspectives matter in everyday decision-making. On the department side, City Planner Denzel Henderson brought the planning profession to life, showing how neighborhoods take shape, highlighting current local planning efforts, and emphasizing the essential role of community perspectives in that work.
|
| |
HONORING TRADITION
Día de los Muertos Celebration, San Fernando
Mission Cemetery
| Left: CD7 Councilmember Monica Rodriguez with attendee. Right: Attendees. | |
City Planning joined the Día de los Muertos celebration at the San Fernando Mission Cemetery on Nov. 1, 2025, engaging hundreds of attendees and strengthening ties between cultural tradition and civic participation. Invited by Council District 7, the team staffed an outreach table, shared updates on local community planning initiatives, answered questions from residents, and used the event as a meaningful opportunity to meet community members where they are and reinforce long-term relationships.
The celebration began with a noon Mass and altar blessing before transitioning into a vibrant cultural program featuring music, folkloric dancers, and activities for children. Attendees were encouraged to create and observe ofrendas, special altars honoring loved ones who have passed away and often decorated with photos, candles, and flowers to create a reflective space for remembrance.
Highlight Video
|
| |
TECHNOLOGY
City Planning Participates in GIS Day 2025
| From left to right - GIS Specialist Hiro Matsuda, GIS Specialist Bryan Lam, GIS Supervisor Timmy Luong, GIS Chief Betty Dong, GIS Specialist Cindy Bardem, and GIS Specialist Montiel Ayala. Not pictured: GIS Supervisor Lara Vargas. | |
The Department participated in GIS Day on Nov. 18, 2025, joining agencies from across the region to spotlight how mapping and data shape public services and community planning. GIS, or Geographic Information Systems, powers many of the tools Angelenos rely on to understand what is happening in their neighborhoods. This year’s event was organized by LA County Public Works and featured a keynote from Bennet Cummings of LA County Emergency Management, who emphasized the critical role of GIS during wildfires and other emergencies.
City Planning staffed a booth highlighting its contributions to the Return and Rebuild LA Strong effort in the Pacific Palisades, including the new Palisades Rebuild and Recovery Interactive Map. The tool now includes a Permit View option that makes it easier to track recent permit activity and trends across the region.
|
|
NEIGHBORHOOD
PlanCheckNC Alliance Update | in November 2025, City Planning briefed the PlanCheckNC Alliance, a citywide coalition of Neighborhood Councils focused on land-use issues, on two major initiatives. The first was the new Development Services Bureau launching in January 2026. This bureau will centralize pre-development services and move the Zoning Review section from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) into City Planning to create a streamlined one-stop process for entitlements and permits. The Department also introduced the Missing Middle LA Program, which will expand access to more attainable housing by updating the zoning code to align with state housing laws and support smaller for-sale homes and more accessible rental options.
Meeting Recording |
| Project applications filed increased by 2% and completed applications decreased by 5% between September and October 2025. Proposals for affordable housing units increased by 60%, while the number of affordable units approved by Los Angeles City Planning decreased 30% from 893 units in September to 628 units in October. The number of market rate units proposed increased by more than 5 times over the same time period, jumping from 258 units proposed in September to 1,717 in October. | | Project applications filed decreased by 10% and completed applications decreased by 8% between October and November 2025. Proposals for affordable housing units decreased by 76%, while the number of affordable units approved by Los Angeles City Planning decreased 29% from 628 units in October to 448 units in November. The number of market-rate units proposed decreased significantly over the same period, dropping from 1,717 units in October to 279 units in November. Market-rate units approved increased 69%, rising from 201 units in October to 340 units in November. | | | |
- On Sept. 25, 2024, the City Council adopted the Boyle Heights Community Plan with the plan’s ordinances being referred to the City Attorney's Office for finalization.
- In August 2025, City Planning sent reportbacks responding to various requests Council made when the plan was adopted. Should City Council consider these recommendations, any approved modifications will go to the City Attorney's Office for incorporation into the final ordinances.
| | | | - On Sept. 9, 2025, the City Council adopted the Harbor LA Community Plans. The plans have advanced to the City Attorney’s Office for form and legality, and upon completion of that review will be transmitted back to the City Council for final adoption.
| | | |
- Finalizing draft policy documents for all three Community Plan Updates with a target public release by the end of 2025.
- Updating the existing StoryMap with revised land uses and draft zoning.
- Public outreach is planned to begin in 2026.
| | | | - Preparing the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)
| | | |
- Hosted 21 virtual office hours across all four plan areas.
- Preparing the Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and scheduling two virtual scoping meetings for early 2026.
| | TRANSIT NEIGHBORHOOD PLANS | | | | - Developing an Outreach Strategy, Share Phase survey questions, and an Educational Toolkit with support from an external consultant.
| | | | - Preparing informational videos and a public hearing notice for release later this year, featuring updated General Plan Land Use and Zoning maps along with proposed changes to the City’s Enhanced Networks and select street re-designations.
| | |
RECENT HISTORIC CULTURAL MONUMENTS | The Cultural Heritage Commission and City Council designated several new Historic-Cultural Monuments (HCMs, or local historic landmarks) during 2025, with Los Angeles’s newest additions including the following: | | |
|
Southern California Telephone Company Exchange
MAP
| |
Historic-Cultural Monument #1324
Built 1924, Remodeled 1941, Designated July 2025
| The Southern California Telephone Company Exchange is a two- and five-story telephone exchange building in the Hancock Park neighborhood that represents the development of communications infrastructure in Los Angeles. Originally built in 1924 by the Southern California Telephone Company as a three-story brick building, in 1941, it was expanded to add two stories and redesigned in the PWA Moderne architectural style by architect Donald Parkinson and the company’s building engineer, G.R. Morrison. The evolution of this building illustrates the changing nature of telephone service, as it has continuously housed telecommunications equipment for over 100 years. |
| |
|
Hollywood Premiere Motel
MAP
| |
Historic-Cultural Monument #1325
Built 1960, Designated July 2025
| The Hollywood Premiere Motel is a two-story motel that is significant as an excellent, intact, and rare example of a 1960s motel in Hollywood. Designed by architect Joyce Miller, it features elements of the Mid-Century Modern architectural style along with an accompanying Googie-architectural style pole sign. |
| |
|
|
Historic-Cultural Monument #1326
Built 1928, Designated July 2025
| The Sam Sharpe Triplex is a two-story multi-family property located in Los Feliz that represents an excellent and highly intact example of an apartment building designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival architectural style. It was designed by master architect Max Maltzman for hardware merchant Samuel Sharpe. |
| |
|
Terminal Island Furusato Tuna Street Buildings
MAP
| |
Historic-Cultural Monument #1327
Built 1918-1921, Designated August 2025
| The Terminal Island “Furusato” Tuna Street Buildings are two vernacular commercial buildings located in the Port of Los Angeles. Originally housing a dry goods store and a grocery store with a rear single-family dwelling, the buildings served the Japanese and Japanese American community that resided on a portion of Terminal Island called Fish Harbor from the 1910s until their forced removal from the island in late 1941 and early 1942, following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The buildings were some of the only structures associated with the Furusato (a Japanese word meaning “home sweet home” that second generation Japanese American children called their village) not immediately razed as Fish Harbor was quickly converted to uses that supported the war effort. | | |
|
|
CONTRIBUTE
HistoricPlacesLA Revealed: Latino Los Angeles
| |
Los Angeles City Planning’s Office of Historic Resources (OHR) launched HistoricPlacesLA Revealed: Latino Los Angeles, a program which will highlight sites that reflect the heritage of Los Angeles’s Latino communities, the city’s largest ethnic/cultural group. City Planning continues to urge Angelenos to contribute stories, photographs, and historical information to this project. The project will install more than 100 physical markers throughout the City highlighting sites that reflect the heritage of Los Angeles’s Latino communities. The markers will have QR codes linked to multimedia content in HistoricPlacesLA, the City’s online inventory of designated and surveyed historic resources.
Share Your Memories
| | |
|
On Aug. 5, 2025, the Los Angeles City Council approved the construction of a 51-story mixed-use development located in the South Park neighborhood of Downtown Los Angeles. The proposed project utilizes the previous, Transfer of Floor Area Rights (TFAR) program in Downtown and contains 536 residential units with a mix of unit types from studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, 581 parking spaces, 4,178 square feet of ground floor commercial space, and 58,275 square feet of open space. The project will have a maximum height of 603 feet and will achieve a floor area ratio of 9.13:1 by participating in the TFAR program.
As part of the TFAR program, the project will provide a Public Benefit Payment which is required to serve a public purpose such as providing affordable housing, public open space, historic preservation, recreational, cultural community and public facilities. The project’s total Public Benefit Payment obligation is $11,462,471.39, which will be split into a 50 percent payment of $5,731,235.70 to the TFAR Public Benefit Payment Trust Fund and a 50 percent payment of $5,731,235.70 as a direct provision to the Council District 14 Public Benefits Trust Fund.
The site is well-served by public transit, as the site is located approximately 0.26 miles from the existing Pico Station on the Metro Blue and Expo Lines, and one mile from the entrance to the 7th/Metro Center Metro Rail Station, which provides connections to the Metro A, B, D, and L Lines. Metro also operates Rapid bus lines, Express lines, and 70, 76, and 78 Local lines in the Project vicinity.
Staff Report
|
| City Planning Commission Meetings | | |
Jan. 8 (Downtown)
Jan. 22 (Van Nuys)
| | |
View agendas and future meeting dates for the City Planning Commission (CPC), Cultural Heritage Commission (CHC), and all Area Planning Commissions (APCs) by visiting Commissions, Boards, Hearings.
| | |
LOS ANGELES
CITY PLANNING
| |
Sign up to receive citywide planning updates by email | |
|
| | | |
