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ED 1 / Affordable Housing Streamlining Ordinance
As of July 1, 2024, new guardrails are in place for preservation and tenants of affordable housing, strengthening this citywide policy.
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Through the passionate efforts of neighborhood advocates, ED 1 now supports both affordable housing and preserving L.A.’s historic neighborhoods.
Issue Details
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Overview
UPDATE: As of July 1, 2024 a revised and updated Executive Directive 1 (ED 1) has been issued. As originally proposed and seen through some early project submissions, ED 1 could have caused significant harm to older and historic neighborhoods. This latest update is a huge step in a positive, more equitable direction. It includes added protections for designated historic resources, including Los Angeles Historic Cultural-Monuments, Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (HPOZ), National Register of Historic Places sites, and more. This also provides stronger protections for affordable Rent Stabilized Ordinance (RSO) units that will be impacted by ED 1 projects, and introduces new objective design standards to improve overall compatibility.
The Conservancy wishes to thank ALL of the passionate neighborhood advocates who strongly urged Mayor Bass to include historic preservation as part of L.A.’s affordable housing solution. We especially thank Council District 5 and Council District 1 who both took a visible lead, and staff in the Mayor’s Office for finding balance in this latest update.
Affordable housing and preservation goals can—and should—have common ground, and we at the Conservancy will continue our efforts to ensure BOTH are equally valued and prioritized as L.A. continues to evolve and change.
Los Angeles City Mayor Bass’ Executive Directive 1 (ED 1) was established in late 2022 to streamline 100% affordable housing production throughout L.A. Now, it is in the process of being codified the Affordable Housing Streamlining Ordinance.
Now with guardrails in place, this well-intended policy helps support L.A.’s older and historic neighborhoods, notably within historic preservation overlay zones (HPOZ) and National Register historic districts, as well as eligible historic neighborhoods with high concentrations of existing multi-family housing. L.A.’s older and historic neighborhoods have highs concentration of existing affordable housing, known as naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH).
The Conservancy supports the creation of 100% affordable housing and streamlining, but ED 1, as previously envisioned, would have displaced existing residents of NOAH housing and adversely impacted HPOZs and National Register historic districts.
About This Issue
ED 1 applies to all proposed shelter and 100% affordable housing projects in areas zoned for multifamily housing. Affordable housing is defined as a five or more unit multi-family project with units accessible for residents making 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) or lower, or with 20% of units for residents at 120% AMI with an average of 80% AMI or lower.
ED 1 expedites projects through streamlining enhancements, shortened review periods at all stages of the City Planning project review process, and reduced filing fees. ED 1 projects don’t require discretionary review, meaning there is no public comment process.
This includes development in National Register Districts and HPOZs. Currently, development for contributing, non-contributing buildings, and vacant lots in HPOZs require planning and design review to ensure new development is compatible with the historic neighborhood. Prior to the July 1, 2024 update, ED 1 and the Affordable Housing Streamlining Ordinance bypassed this review for non-contributors and vacant lots.
These policies are also being incorporated in the Citywide Housing Incentive Program‘s Affordable Housing Overlay.
Our Position
Affordable housing can be added and existing NOAH maintained, yet without tools and guardrails for planning and preservation, ED 1 was previously missing an essential ingredient. Otherwise, neighborhoods and existing tenants could have been more adversely impacted by demolition and out-of-scale, incompatible new development.
Given nearly 40% of all housing in L.A.’s 35 HPOZs are multi-family apartments with five or more units, ED 1 previously put apartments that are classified as non-contributing at risk of demolition for new housing. Further, this bypassed the design review process intended to keep HPOZ and National Register neighborhoods intact and hold together, in terms of overall physical compatibility.
With the July 1, 2024 update, there is now greater balance. Neighborhood and HPOZ advocates were asking that ED 1 policy guidance protect HPOZs and National Register historic districts– in their entirety– by not overriding existing, long-standing planning and design review tools.
How You Can Help
Contact your councilmember by visiting this link.
ONE: Enter your address to access a list of your civic representatives, including your L.A. City Councilmember.
TWO: Click on your Councilmember’s email icon and send them a message, thanking them for supporting the July 1, 2014 guardrails to Executive Director 1 that make way for affordable housing but also protect L.A.’s historic neighborhoods.
THREE: Submit comments for the official record, through the City Clerk portal, using Council File cf 23-0623. You can access the portal here.