LOS ANGELES— City Planning is launching the Citywide Adaptive Reuse program, the first of the Citywide Housing Incentive Program’s six core strategies for addressing the City’s housing crisis and meeting the bold Housing Element Rezoning obligations. Adaptive Reuse is an innovative strategy that facilitates the conversion of existing underutilized or historically significant buildings into housing.
“Los Angeles needs more housing that Angelenos can afford. Adaptive reuse development can help bring much needed housing online throughout the City. I look forward to working with the City Planning Commission, City Council and communities across Los Angeles to receive input on this important policy,” said Mayor Karen Bass.
Adaptive Reuse has been in effect in Downtown Los Angeles since 1999 and is touted as one of the reasons behind Downtown’s resurgence in recent decades. In Downtown alone, Adaptive Reuse created more than 12,000 housing units during its first 15 years in effect. Building on this success, the expanded program will now make Adaptive Reuse conversions available citywide with fewer regulatory burdens, opening new doors for housing Angelenos.
“The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance seeks resourceful solutions to create more housing opportunities,” said Director of Planning Vince Bertoni. “Reuse of buildings is a sustainable practice that conserves many of the resources used to build them, reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with ground-up construction. By mixing commercial and residential uses and bringing residents and visitors close to jobs and services, conversions can also play a part in improving air quality and reducing the numbers of vehicle trips and vehicle miles traveled.”
Drafted with post-pandemic economic recovery in mind, the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance incentivizes the conversion of existing commercial buildings to housing, providing a faster review process for older buildings, allowing for flexible unit sizes, and allowing buildings to retain their building shell while the interior may be converted to housing. The ordinance aims to reduce vacant space, extend the life of buildings, lower carbon emissions, and revitalize historic structures, all while creating new housing opportunities.
City staff will host three upcoming webinars June 6 through 8, which will provide an opportunity to learn more about the details of the program. Each webinar will cover the same material, and will include program background, information on the proposed revisions to the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, and further opportunities to provide feedback.
Click here to view the draft Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, and here to view the Citywide Adaptive Reuse Fact Sheet. To learn more about the Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance and the Citywide Housing Incentive program, sign up for updates here.
