December 2020 Land Use Report
Land Use Report – December 2020 – 12/14/20
Not an official NC report – A summary and collection of items that may be of interest to LAND USE and PLANNING volunteers.
STAP – LA’s current Street Furniture Program 20-year contract with Viacom (CBS Outdoor, Outfront Media)/JC Decaux expires Dec. 2021. The Bureau of Street Services (now known as Streets LA) has developed and released an RFP for a new program — “STAP” (“Street and Transit Amenities Program”) which was created as a result of engagement with industry representatives and without any targeted outreach to neighborhood or community councils, community leaders or the general public.
When community members learned of the planned consideration of the RFP by the Board of Public Works, public comments and testimony were submitted to request that the RFP be held back to consider and incorporate comments from the communities to be impacted (the entire City!). The Board of Public Works voted to approve the RFP with the Department’s General Manager promising to do public outreach while indicating that there is still opportunity to shape the program.
There was and is considerable concern that responses to the RFP will include programmatic elements that will be geared toward income generation (especially now since the City is well into deficit spending) without concern for the impacts that proposed digital changing messaging will have on communities, scenic corridors, specific plan areas, and the public’s safety.
In response to the RFP, Councilmembers Bonin and Blumenfield co-sponsored a motion in Council (CF 20-1536), which among other things calls for establishing “[p]arameters of digital advertising and/or digital displays to ensure compatibility with their surrounding environments, traffic safety, and land use zones such as specific plans and scenic highways.”
Motion – CIS for NC /CC consideration:
__________ NC/CC supports the Bonin/Blumenfield motion in CF 20-1536, and further requests that:
- prior to contract negotiations, the City conduct an extensive and open public process, in which detailed information about STAP, the RFP and the contract negotiation process is made widely available and members of the public, community leaders and neighborhood/community councils are invited to provide ongoing input on community impacts, problems and ridership needs with respect to STAP;
- in connection with any contract that is eventually negotiated, the City 1) respect and abide by Community Plan, Specific Plan, Scenic Highway and Coastal Zone protections and requirements, including in the public right of way, and 2) address constituents’ concerns about preservation of community character, protection of residential neighborhoods, public safety, environmental impacts and privacy infringement;
- all protections for scenic corridors, for local street furniture preferences and for neighborhoods with Specific Plans and codified prohibitions against off-site advertising that were negotiated and included in the JCDecaux contract be carried forward in any new contract that is negotiated; and
- the City restrict any new digital signs in or near bus shelters to sign districts in the 22 areas already zoned as Regional Commercial for high-intensity commercial use.
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Notice from Streets LA re: their new outreach program on STAP (with no mention of digital signage or other aspects of the program which may cause the public to ignore the notice and opportunity to learn more can be found at:
Outreach meetings are being held as follows:
Dept. Fact Sheet can be found at:
RFP can be found at:
RFI to the outdoor advertising industry can be found at:
PLUM votes to support short-term rentals for 2nd /vacation homes – Council File 18-1246
At their Nov. 12 meeting, the PLUM Committee approved the CPC recommendation to allow vacation homes (second homes) comprising up to 1% of housing units in each Community Plan Area to be used as short term rentals. They considered a Staff Report and proposed ordinance regulating use of non-primary residences for short term rentals as Vacation Rentals and to establish related fees and fines.
Motion – CIS for NC/CC consideration:
________ NC/CC opposes the permitting of any number of vacation/second homes in the City’s home sharing/short term rental program. This opposition is based upon the concern that the City of Los Angeles is facing a workforce and affordable housing shortage and that the removal or any housing from the housing marketplace reduces supply and increases pressures on the cost and availability of housing. Further, the expansion of the short-term rental program to vacation or second homes, could also result in the purchase of homes specifically to be used as short-term rentals thus further reducing housing from the housing market. The owner must only prove that the unit is a secondary residence that is occasionally occupied by the owners and not otherwise available to be rented as long-term housing. (How would this be enforced?)
The cap on the number of vacation rental permits available has been increased from 3,625 (.25% ) to 14,750 (1%).
It is noted that the City’s revenues from short-term rentals are the same tax revenues as would be raised should a guest stay in one of LA’s hotel or motel properties. Additionally, labor used at established hospitality businesses, most often pay prevailing wages to hotel staff whereas home sharing properties are not held to those same standards.
Staff contact: Patrick.whalen@lacity.org (213) 978-1370
NOTE: In addition to the City’s existing 24/7 complaint line for short-term rental abuses, there is a new hotline dedicated to improving the City’s enforcement created by a new coalition: Better Neighbors LA, that brings together Southern California hosts, tenants, housing activists, Keep Neighborhoods First, hotel workers and community members. The mission of Better Neighborhoods LA is to support enforcement of the City of Los Angeles’ Home Sharing Ordinance, conduct research on the short-term rental industry and its impact on affordable housing and gentrification in LA and to develop policy to protect housing, hotel jobs and neighborhoods impacted by the short-term rental industry.
You are invited to visit their newly launched website http://www.betterneighborsla.org and http://www.betterneighborsla.org/about-us.
They are operating a new dedicated and effective hot line to report properties that are in violation of the Home-Sharing Ordinace! To report propern violation of the Home- Sharing Orinance (HSO) Call Better Neighborhoods LA hotline Monday–Friday, 9AM–6PM PST 213.336.5900. When filing a complaint, you should also file it with the City’s Planning Dept. 24/7 complaint hotline at (213) 267-7788.
Enforcement of the Home=Sharing regulations is key to protecting affordable housing in our neighborhoods, as study after study has shown that short-term rental companies take housing off the market and drive up rental prices. Housing eligible to the posted as a short-term rental is a resident’s PRIMARY residence where they can prove that they live for at least six months/year. Units that fall under the RSO/rent control ordinance are not eligible. Home-Sharing is not permitted in a vehicle parked on the property, storage shed, trailer, temporary structure or other structure not built for residential use. Registration with the City is required and listings must include the registration number.
PLUM votes to support weakened Temporary Signs on Construction Walls Code Amendment – CPC-2017-445-CA – Council File 17-0893
The measure was proposed to close loopholes in the current program which permits temporary plywood wall enclosures around construction sites and empty lots in an effort to prevent blight. However, the program has been abused and these walls that “host” series of advertising posters have been placed on plywood walls constructed around OPERATING businesses. Dept. of Building and Safety indicated that the Code governing this program needed tightening up in order to allow for full enforcement. The measure was heard in CPC and recently considered in PLUM where the PLUM Committee made changes that would:
- allow temporary wall signs on properties with operating businesses if there was construction on the premises that required a barricade. The Committee, responding to industry request, created language that would allow for a required barricade to be increased in size so that the temporary wall signage with advertisements would “pencil out.” (It appears that there is a minimum desired size for the advertising-covered walls.)
In locations where there are temporary wall signs, the vendor is required to keep the site free of grafitti and trash.
MOTION: _____NC opposes the placement of size temporary wall signage with advertisements on any location that has an operating business. If a construction barricade is required by the City there should be no provisions to extend or expand the length of the barricade to accommodate advertisements.
The revised ordinance should expressly prohibit illuminated temporary wall signs/posters and any on-site generators installed to power such installations.
The Planning Dept. staff person handling this measure is Darby Whipple: darby.whipple@lacity.org ____________________________________________________________________________________
Local Emergency Code Amendment: CPC-2020-4926-CA / ENV-2020-4927-NC / Council File 20-0380-S1
An ordinance that “would complement current provisions in the Zoning Code that provide relief and flexibility to respond and recover from a local emergency. The proposed relief would extend the time limits for the utilization and expiration of conditional use approvals, outlines alternative parking calculation for changes of use in Commercial Zones, and would suspend certain valet and off-site parking requirements.”
Under this measure: Changes of use applications within an existing building submitted during the local emergency will not trigger new parking requirements. Any conditions of approval requiring valet parking are suspended. Any conditions of approval requiring off-site parking that is not Code required are suspended.
Once the local emergency expires, compliance with the permanent regulations in LAMC is required. The parking modifications for changes of use will be permanent for those eligible properties or business for the life of the use. (The City will not require those businesses or properties to provide additional parking after the expiration of the emergency provisions.) The temporary provisions will apply citywide and will supersede specific plans or overlays during the time they are applicable.
Draft Ordinance: https://planning.lacity.org/odocument/b7d176b5-5a1b-4007-8e29-034ed59b848c/Local_Emergency_Code_Amendment_-_Draft_for_Public_Release.pdf
Planning dept staff contact: Andrew.pennington@lacity.org (213) 978-1395 Code Studies held their hearing 11-9-2020. CPC hearing held Dec. 3rd.
Processes and Procedures Ordinance: CPC-2016-3182-CA / Council File 12-0460-S4
Approved by CPC in 2018 but additional edits have been made by the Dept. and it is scheduled to return to CPC in Spring 2021 after additional outreach.
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Ridgeline Ordinance: Council File 11-1441-S1
Adoption of a Supplemental Use District and development standards to apply to the Bel Air Beverly Crest area.
Webinar held November 20.
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Citywide Sign Ordinance Reappears- Council File 11-1705
From the Planning Dept:
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Editor’s note:
PLUM requested a number of significant changes to weaken the ordinance as recommended in VERSION B+ from the Planning Commission which many NCs support. The current draft appears to have created a new “Tier 3” signage program which would be a huge windfall for outdoor advertisers who have long sought for a way to get digital billboards. Tier 3 sign districts, if adopted, will allow static existing billboards to be CONVERTED (and re-converted for those that were shut down as part of a court ruling invalidating their installation as part of the secret billboard agreements) to digital format with changing messaging in nearly ALL COMMERCIAL ZONES through “relocation agreements.” In exchange, billboard companies can choose to remove lower performing signs of their choice (some of which may be unpermitted billboards in the first place (!) or opt for paying benefits. The initial impact would be to allow 150 full-sized digital billboards on commercial streets throughout the City. With an initial cap of 10% in any commercial area, how long would it take for lobbyists to increase that limit – perhaps while dangling a cut of the profits to a broke City Council? Bah humbug. Our City’s 2002 Sign Ordinance does not allow any new billboards and billboards that are altered in any way are deemed illegal and subject to removal. The City can establish SIGN DISTRICTS for new signage and that is currently the only way that new billboards may be permitted. Version B+ of the proposed Sign Ordinance further limits new Sign Districts to areas zoned for intense commercial uses.
It was public outcry that brought us to Version B+ and that resulted in the removal of supergraphic signage plastered across the walls (and windows) of buildings across the City. We need strong community action to oppose this measure with its Tier 3 digital billboards. (FYI: Version B+ would require that for every digital billboard erected in a sign district in an intensely zoned commercial area, 10 existing static billboards would be required to be removed.)
SAMPLE MOTIONS / options for consideration (a,b,c,):
- The ______ NC requests that the 1/29/21 comment deadline be extended and that Planning Dept. host public hearings in advance of the deadline for comments on the current proposed draft Sign Ordinance. The draft document was released over the December holidays and there must be outreach and the opportunity for public participation before a report is written for the City Planning Commission’s consideration. Rushing this issue to the CPC in February (or March) without adequate community discussion after it was held in PLUM for over 8 years for their consideration of changes to Version B+ (which we support) is wrong.
- The ______ NC opposes the sign ordinance with changes recommended by the PLUM Committee on Dec. 10, 2020.
This neighborhood / community council strongly supports Version B+ as recommended by the City Planning Commission. We oppose changes proposed by the City Council PLUM Committee that include the establishment of a Tier 3 Sign District and “relocation agreements” to allow for the installation of
digital billboards on our commercial corridors.
We call on the City to respect the goals of Vision Zero to keep our street users free from dangerous driver distracting digital billboards and to understand that “Great Streets” are not streets blighted with
digital billboards and their commercial messaging, but those that are tree-shaded, with smooth sidewalks and pedestrian-oriented uses and activities at street level.
We call on the City Council to instruct the City Attorney to review all sign records to determine which signs are out of compliance with the City Sign Ordinance and are subject to removal.
This neighborhood council does not support selling out our public right of way and our airspace above it to commercial advertisers and their advertisements. With growing residential properties on commercial corridors, there are few places where these types of light polluting and distracting signs can or should be placed. They should be limited to intense commercial districts via sign districts that strictly govern their operation and placement and, when and if placed, should be required to include a strict mandatory takedown requirement of 10:1 with permitted signs only being counted toward takedown requirements. Untended or unpermitted billboards should be removed by the City as the community nuisances that they are through fees assessed by the City on existing billboards to pay for all required
nuisance removals.
- Changes to the sign ordinance are tainted by the corrupt Councilmembers / PLUM Committee members Huizar and Englander that introduced those changes. Further, billboard companies might be complicit.
Shortly after the FBI raided former Councilmember and PLUM Chair Huizar’s office in November 2018, the Los Angeles Times reported that real estate and billboard companies were solicited by Richelle Huizar to donate money to Jose Huizar’s former school, Bishop Mora Salesian High School in the Boyle Heights neighborhood. Just as projects approved under the cloud of corruption are being reconsidered, so should policies such as the Sign Ordinance.
The _____ NC urges to City to reject the changes made by PLUM to the sign ordinance and return to Version B+ adopted by the City Planning Commission. That version is ready to go to Council for its consideration and adoption.
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The Planning Dept. staff person overseeing the Sign Ordinance is: Andrew Pennington, Planning Assistant – Andrew.pennington@lacity.org. Phyliss Nathanson has moved on to staff the short-term rental program and Tom Rothmann retired and moved east.
Housing Element of LA’s General Plan:
There is a survey online for comments on the draft concepts developed by the planners working on the Housing Element. It can be found at: https://migsurvey.limequery.com/813839?lang=en#
The Housing Element is one of the state-mandated elements of the General Plan and defines the strategy by which the City will meet the RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Assessment) goals assigned to the City over the next 8-year housing planning cycle. It is an important document under which community plans will be written. Check it out and get involved: https://planning.lacity.org/plans-policies/housing-element-update
State Housing Bills Re-Emerge Dec. 7 for 2021-2022 session (See SF Chronicle article at bottom of this report)
The Good: On Dec. 7 Sen. Portantino reintroduced his bill SB 15 (former SB 1299 — failed last session) that would incentivize (via grants/funding to local governments) the rezoning and use of “idle sites” — vacant big box stores & shopping centers — for workforce housing. http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB15. (A comparison with last session’s bill is still to be done. https://sd25.senate.ca.gov/news/2020-12-09/portantino-reintroduces-creative-workforce-housing-bill-garners-strong-labor-and
The Bad and the Ugly: SB 9 and SB 10. Summaries/notes below provided by Christina Spitz, PPCC.
SB 10 (Wiener)–successor to SB 902 (failed in legislature last session)
Bill text & status: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB10
In a nutshell: This bill would allow local governments to pass an ordinance to upzone single-family residential parcels in order to permit multi-family dwellings of up to 10 units (seemingly with ministerial or by right approval), as long as the parcel is located in a “jobs-rich” area, or a “transit-rich” area, or on an urban landfill site (as defined in the bill). This upzoning would be allowed notwithstanding any local restrictions on adopting zoning ordinances, including restrictions enacted by voter initiatives. Sen. Wiener describes this as “light touch” upzoning.
SB 9 (Atkins)–successor to SB 1120 (failed in legislature last session)
Bill text & status: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB9
In a nutshell: This bill would require local governments to approve lot splits and/or housing developments of 2 dwelling units on parcels in a single-family residential zone ministerially/by right, if the projects meet certain requirements (as detailed in the bill). Note: the bill is somewhat complicated and contains several provisions detailing what local agencies can or cannot do in terms of approvals, setbacks, design standards, etc.
Neither bill appears to contain any provisions for low income or workforce/affordable housing! CEQA would not apply and there are questions/concerns as to how many ADUs could be built under these proposed measures.
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In Council:
Nov. 19 PLUM:
- Item 3: 20-1042 Motion relative to the creation of a measure to be placed on the ballot to revise the City’s Zoning Code.
- Item 4: 20-1044 Motion relative to developing criteria for high value projects and amend the planning process so these projects are diverted from the Planning and land Use Management Committee and go directly to the City Council.
- Item 5: 20-1045 Motion relative to revising the Processes and Procedures Ordinance with additional criteria in regard to entitlements such as legislative actions and the granting of Conditional Use Permits and restricting actions from moving forward unless it can be established that they are in the public interest or otherwise adhere to established policies of the City.
- Item 12: 17-0981 Proposed ordinance to create the Restaurant Beverage Program, an administrative process for the onsite consumption of alcohol incidental to a restaurant, subject to a set of eligibility criteria, performance standards, and enforcement procedures. Approved as amended.
CITY COUNCIL:
TUESDAY, Remote Meeting, November 24, 10 AM
- Item 11: 20-1328 Report relative to developing a regulatory framework for personal delivery devices that operate in the City’s public right-of-way.
- Item 12: 20-1175 Report relative to notifying property owners and financial institutions when an Order to Abate Vacant Structure for violations of LAMC 91.8904 et seq is issued, and ACE citations issuance for violations of LAMC 91.8904 et seq.
- Item 43: 20-0380-S1 Amend the emergency Ordinance to eliminate burdens on small businesses affected by the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration (Council file No. 20-0380-S1), to temporarily authorize the DCP to approve the placement of on-site signage within the Ventura-Cahuenga Boulevard Corridor Specific Plan and the Westwood Village Specific Plan, during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, via administrative clearance.
WEDNESDAY, Remote Meeting, November 25, 10 AM
- Item 3: 20-0844 Report and ordinance relative to amending Section 98.0105 of the LAMC to clarify the right of entry for LADBS inspectors to conduct inspections.
- Item 33: 20-0953 Report relative to suspending all citation enforcement provisions related to temporary signs and allowing them until the end of the Covid-19 State of Emergency.
- Item 45 17-0274: Report on the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Affordable Housing Linkage Fee Expenditure Plan, revenue estimate and revenue activity.
City Planning Commission Virtual Hearing, Thursday, December 3
- Emergency Citywide Code Amendment Mechanism: CPC-2020-4926-CA An ordinance amending Article 6 of the LAMC to provide City Council and Mayor a mechanism to provide temporary regulatory relief from certain time limitations and parking provisions of the Los Angeles Municipal during and immediately thereafter a declared local emergency. Dial in: (669) 900-9128, ID: 832 0995 4659#. After 8:30 AM.
CITY COUNCIL:
TUESDAY, Remote Meeting, December 1, 10 AM
- Item 27: 14-0268-S13 Instruction to the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance defining harassment of tenants and strengthen the municipal code to deter harassment of tenants.
- Item 36: 17-0545 Authorize a revocable permit to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, subject to satisfaction of the conditions for issuing such permit, to allow for the construction of the airspace building along and above Wilshire Boulevard prior to the completion of the airspace vacation requirements (VAC-E1401310) for this same area
WEDNESDAY, Remote Meeting, December 2, 10 AM
- Item 5: 20-0975 Report back to the City Council based on a motion co-introduced by Councilmember Ryu outlining additional deterrence tools that can be adopted to remedy to code violations, including but not limited to LADWP shut-offs, Certificate of Occupancy holds or revocations, permit prohibitions on the same or related properties, and scorched earth penalties, as amended by the PLUM Committee.
PLUM Committee, Remote Meeting, Thursday, December 3, 10 AM
- Item 4: 17-0226-S1 Report from LADBS in response to a Motion co-introduced by Councilmember Ryu relative to the penalties that can be imposed for unpermitted remodels, additions, and demolition of buildings, mainly designated historic buildings and historic resources
Referrals: CF 17-1143 – Referred to Public Works and Gang Reduction Committee –Re: development of a recommended scope for a comprehensive study to assess hillside streets, and preparing a cost estimate. Related to streets withdrawn from public use and reinstatement process.
PLUM Committee, Remote Meeting, Tuesday, December 8, 2 PM
- Item 5: 20-1477 Motion relative to directing DCP and DBS to report with recommendations on a new structural demolition policy that allows developers in the entitlement process to be granted demolition permits for properties that have become a public nuisance, without the need for an approved set of plans, while ensuring compliance with CEQA and the protection of historical resources.
- Item 8: 19-0400 & 20-0047 Joint report from the DCP, DBS, and HCID relative to the implementation of SB 330, the Housing Crisis Act of 2019.
FYI:
Growing Vibrant LA Communities: Urban Heat- From Hazard to Hope
Was held Tuesday, December 8, 2020 and the recording is now available on line:
Join us for a day of urban forestry community action! Learn about the threats of extreme heat in Los Angeles and engage with innovative solutions to keep our neighborhoods cool. Help grow a healthy, sustainable, and equitable future for your community.
Register to participate at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_w60mfkxZR8KCPjj-1RJHgg?utm_medium=email&_hsmi=99732563&_hsenc=p2ANqtz–
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Move LA’s first Virtual Transportation Conversation: “Transit is the Future!” was held: Tuesday, December 08, 2020 at 01:30 PM – 11th Annual Transportation Conversation
Public transportation systems across the U.S. are in crisis because of the unprecedented pandemic that has dramatically reduced ridership, sales tax and farebox revenue, and funding from the state. Without more aid from Congress, transit service across the U.S. could be gutted, transit workers could be laid off, and essential workers and others could be without a means of getting to work.
For Move LA, this is a matter of Transit Justice. We must not let the pandemic weaken our transit system, reduce service, and reverse all we have worked towards to reduce the inequities and pollution created by our car-centric system. Read the Transit Justice Principles here.
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Related topic/document: METRO Customer Experience Plan 2020: http://metro.legistar1.com/metro/attachments/42dc3a77-de0a-46ba-bfd1-fe78aa526c6a.pdf
Note that on page 31-32 there is mention of METRO desiring to have DIGITAL BILLBOARDS on METRO land to raise money to offset losses due to farebox and tax receipt shortfalls and to raise money to help pay for free fares. More distracting and dangerous digital billboards??? (Editor’s note: When do policymakers come to understand that the more digital signage/outdoor advertising there is, the less revenue and value each sign has? A very few strategically placed signs raise more for the City of Chicago than the thousands of current (and future) signs in LA have raised and will raise.)
FYI: Planning Dept. usually records these meetings and posts them online for viewing—
Hollywood Community Plan Open House and Hearing: December 9, 4-7 pm Comments being accepted through Dec. 16, 5 pm.
FYI: Southwest Valley Community Plan Update Reseda-West Van Nuys Webinar. The Southwest Planning Team is releasing draft land use designations for each of the three Community Plan areas: Canoga Park-Winnetka-Woodland Hills-West Hills, Encino-Tarzana, and Reseda-West Van Nuys. Tuesday, December 8, 1-3.
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MWD Workshops on Water Wise Landscaping (online and available for stakeholders to sign up): https://greengardensgroup.com/turf-transformation/
Related to Housing: SCAG’s Sustainable Communities Program/ Call for applications for cities…
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Articles of interest:
Update on Huizar-related indictments: https://therealdeal.com/la/2021/01/07/carmel-partners-agrees-to-1m-fine-in-connection-with-huizar-scandal/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=LA%20Daily%20%7C%2001.08.2021&utm_term=Los%20Angeles%20Daily Carmel Partners agrees to $1M fine in connection with Huizar scandal / Now called CP Employers, developer admitted contributing $75K to ex-councilman’s PAC as firm sought approval for DTLA tower project
LABJ re: co-living development – https://labusinessjournal.com/news/2020/nov/02/california-landmark-group-mark-marina-del-rey/ California Landmark Group Makes Its Mark in Marina del Rey “Re
making the Marina”
https://citywatchla.com/index.php/cw/los-angeles/20675-america-after-covid-what-demographics-tell-us
San Francisco County Transit Authority- Report and planning for congestion pricing: https://www.sfcta.org/downtown
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-12-12/los-angeles-tiny-homes-homeless
LA Times on LA’s $130,000 Tiny Palette Houses that cost a fraction of that in other municipalities!
LA Times of Metro’s roll out of NexGen Bus Plan Dec 13
https://citywatchla.com/index.php/cw/los-angeles/20934-the-fair-la-housing-plan-allows-real-estate-speculators-to-profit-from-the-housing-crisis-it-s-sophisticated-nonsense Dick Platkin’s analysis of the Fair LA Housing Plan of Abundant Housing
https://queenspost.com/queens-community-groups-hold-rally-demanding-a-stop-to-racist-luxury-rezonings. This article makes reference to a document titled “Community Declaration on the Future of New York.” signed by more than 60 community groups. ‘The declaration demands elected officials to stop all future rezonings that would bring high-end housing; reinvent the land-use process so it is led by the community as opposed to developers; and end the use of virtual meetings as a substitute for public hearings. The groups also said the city must end the practice of allowing luxury developers to construct larger buildings, or upzone, in exchange for so-called ‘affordable’ housing.” ‘
https://48hills.org/2020/12/hypocrisy-in-the-local-zoning-debate/ Zelda Bronstein on Hypocrisy in the local zoning debate, which brought a reply from UCLA profs in this follow up article: https://48hills.org/2020/12/zoning-and-housing-costs-the-debate-continues/
| Kathy Jordan <kjordan114wh@gmail.com>: Nov 10 06:39AM -0800 Buying foreclosed homes is about to change Los Angeles Times] November 10, 2020 Good morning. I’m Andrew Khouri, the L.A. Times Business section’s Wall Street became a major player, with large firms such as the Blackstone In a state where housing costs are sky high, many low-income community The single-family rental industry disputes those allegations, but another This time, however, a new California law aims to reduce the transfer of *What is the new law?* The new rules apply to one- to four-unit properties sold at foreclosure If the home is a rental, the tenants living there could win by matching the Known as SB 1079, the law takes effect Jan. 1, 2021. State Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley), the bill’s author, said her goal was “Homeownership is the primary way people have to build up generational *How could I buy one of these homes?* The manager of the foreclosure auction is required to maintain a website But if you are a traditional home buyer, experts say to be careful. Maeve Elise Brown, executive director of Housing and Economic Rights There is a chance of additional liens on the property that could raise It could also be impossible to inspect a house for defects before buying The buyer would be responsible for carrying out any necessary eviction. “I am aware of clients who bought foreclosed properties in the Central Finding financing could be tricky too. Dustin Hobbs, a spokesman for the Hobbs said borrowers might have some luck with a small bank or credit union *Will nonprofits and government entities snap up these homes?* They’d like to, but funding could be an issue. Amid the pandemic-fueled “We are creating good policies that don’t come with resources,” said Oscar Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin, who represents many Westside He said he sees an opportunity to use funds the city already has for “What we want to do is to address the commodification of housing and treat Kevin Stein, deputy director of the low-income advocacy group California Trust South L.A., for example, would like to purchase homes and work with In the Bay Area, the Oakland Community Land Trust recently took a slightly It purchased an investor-owned home after a group of homeless and Heavily armed sheriff’s deputes The new law gives nonprofits a streamlined way to purchase such properties. “Without [additional] revenue sources, we are going to be in the same *Are there other concerns?* Michael Flynn, a mortgage attorney with the law firm Buchalter, said that Lori Gay — whose organization, Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles Gay said she’s already talking to investors and would like to make offers “We’d like to not see corporate investors gobble up the bulk of the |
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Excerpts from SF Chronicle on State Housing bills:
by Alexis Koseff : sfchronicle – excerpt
SACRAMENTO — The legislative package to address California’s housing shortage next year will look a lot like it did this year, before it fell victim to internal politics, battles with interest groups and the coronavirus pandemic.
State Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins, D-San Diego, said she expects lawmakers to bring back at least half a dozen unsuccessful measures, including her own proposal to make it easier to split lots and convert homes into duplexes <https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/State-Senate-leader-endorses-package-of-bills-to-15284014.php>…
That concept, in a new bill called SB9 <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB9>, is again part of a legislative package on housing that Atkins said she plans to unveil this week. While lawmakers can introduce bills, the regular business of the Capitol does not resume until January.
“We’re starting at a good place,” Atkins said. “There may be a few new ideas I’ve heard of.”
Several other old ones also resurfaced Monday.
Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, reintroduced his “gentle density” measure that would allow cities to rezone residential parcels <https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/Scott-Wiener-back-with-another-plan-to-build-15118206.php%0A%0A>for apartment or condominium projects of up to 10 units without having to go through environmental reviews that can add years to the process. Under his bill, SB10 <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB10>, cities could adopt the change for neighborhoods near public transit and in high-income areas with access to jobs and good schools, but would not be required to…
Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Salinas, introduced SB6 <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB6>, which would open properties zoned for office and commercial buildings to housing development, particularly in areas where the land has sat empty for years. A version <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200SB1385> passed the Senate this year but did not advance in the Assembly…
Another Atkins bill, SB7 <[http://let%20smaller%20mixed-use%20and%20affordable%20housing%20projects%20use%20a%20shorter%20environmental%20review%20process,%20which%20was%20created%20a%20decade%20ago%20to%20speed%20the%20approval%20of%20major%20developments%20that%20would%20not%20increase%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions]http://let%20smaller%20mixed-use%20and%20affordable%20housing%20projects%20use%20a%20shorter%20environmental%20review%20process,%20which%20was%20created%20a%20decade%20ago%20to%20speed%20the%20approval%20of%20major%20developments%20that%20would%20not%20increase%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions.>, revives a proposal to renew and expand a shortened environmental review process for projects that would not increase greenhouse gas emissions…
Although it does not yet include details, SB8 <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB8> by Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, would give housing developers additional incentive for including more affordable units, such as being allowed to increase the size of a project.
A final bill, SB5 <http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB5> by Atkins, Wiener, Skinner and other senators, would be a vehicle for issuing bonds to pay for housing projects for homeless and low-income Californians. It does not have a price tag yet. for including more affordable units, such as being allowed to increase the size of a project…
On Monday, Assembly Member Jesse Gabriel, D-Encino (Los Angeles Country), introduced AB59 <https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB59>, which would extend the public notification period for creating new fees and expand the types of fees that a developer can challenge on a project…(more) <https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/California-lawmakers-try-again-to-make-it-easier-15783955.php>
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BBroide 12/14/20