City of LA General Plan, Housing Element, Chapter 5, Issues, Goals, Objectives, and Policies

CHAPTER V -

ISSUES, GOALS, OBJECTIVES, and POLICIES

Shortcuts to Major Issues:

LIVEABLE COMMUNITIES
HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS
HOUSING QUANTITY

It is the overall housing goal of the City of Los Angeles to create a city of livable and sustainable neighborhoods with a range of housing types and costs in mutual proximity to jobs, infrastructure and services.

ISSUE: HOUSING QUANTITY

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GOAL 1

A City where housing production and preservation result in an adequate supply of ownership and rental housing affordable to people of all income levels, races, ages, and suitable for all needs.

Objective 1.1

Encourage production and preservation of an adequate supply of rental and ownership housing to meet the identified needs of persons of all income levels and special needs.

Policy 1.1.1: Promote neighborhood preservation and rehabilitation to ensure that existing housing is maintained in decent, safe, and sanitary condition. ( P-3; P-6; P-10; P-11; P-12; P-13; P-14; P-15; P-17; P-21; P-25; P-29; P-30; P-31; P-34; P-35; P-36; P-43; P-45; P-46; P-47; P-50; P-51; P-52; P-53; P-54; P-55; P-56, P-57; P-74; P-80; P-85; P-90; P-91; and existing Affordable Housing Incentives ordinance.)
Policy 1.1.2: Support reconfiguration of housing units to accommodate larger families by combining units rather than adding more bedrooms to smaller units and revise the density calculation methodology. ( P-20; P-67)
Policy 1.1.3: Support the continuation of private and public rehabilitation programs to assist low and moderate-income households to meet or exceed property standards in the Building Code. ( P-1; P-7; P-15; P-17; P-21; P-34; P-46; P-47; P-52; P-53; P-56)
Policy 1.1.4: Support the preservation of existing mobile home parks. ( P-88)
Policy 1.1.5: Support the preservation and rehabilitation of existing Single Room Occupancy hotels. ( P-89; P-99; P-103)
Policy 1.1.6: Require retrofitting of seismically unsafe units as part of the enforcement of the Earthquake Hazard Reduction (seismic) Ordinance. ( P-21; P-30)
Policy 1.1.7: Support public and private programs to maximize home ownership opportunities (including homeowner counseling/training) through provision of private and public programs such as subsidized interest loans, reduced down payments, and loan counseling and packaging. ( P-2; P-26; P-27; P-28; P-29; P-31; P-33; P-45; P-50; P-51; P-58)
Policy 1.1.8: Encourage and support public and private programs to increase the availability of affordable rental housing for all city residents. ( P-2; P-3; P-5; P-19; P-23; P-44; P-45; P-46; P-47; P-50; P-55; P-68; P-83)
Policy 1.1.9: Encourage a broad range of services to residents in publicly assisted housing units. ( P-53; P-57; P-62; P-63)
Policy 1.1.10: Support retention of the long-term affordability of publicly assisted housing. ( P-18; P-19; P-52; P-55; P-57)
Policy 1.1.11: Continue to update and revise community plans to be consistent with growth policies in accordance with the Citywide General Plan Framework Element. ( P-73)
Policy 1.1.12: Provide technical assistance to individuals and organizations on housing development and rehabilitation. ( P-3; P-4; P-5; P-7; P-16; P-25; P-44; P-46; P-47; P-50; P-74; P-89; P-106)
Policy 1.1.13: Prohibit the practices of redlining of neighborhoods by lenders and the neglect perpetrated by slumlords that are so detrimental to housing and neighborhood qualities. ( P-13; P-14; P-15; P-19; P-35; P-85; P-90)
Policy 1.1.14: Facilitate housing production consistent with zoning by streamlining and, where possible, provide assistance to developers. ( P-4; P-74; P-77; and existing case managers in the Planning Department.)

Objective 1.2

Provide and maintain the technical resources to evaluate the availability of the housing supply in relation to identified needs.

Policy 1.2.1: Maintain up-to-date census and other data bases on population, employment, income, and housing stock to enable evaluation of citywide housing needs. ( P-79)
Policy 1.2.2: Make computerized socioeconomic and demographic data more easily accessible to the public. ( P-79)
Policy 1.2.3: Oppose federal legislation which would reduce or eliminate the collection of census data necessary for the City's planning purposes. ( P-79)

Objective 1.3

Encourage the provision of housing with support services for persons with special needs (e.g., homeless, mental or physical disability, elderly, large families, and persons living with HIV/AIDs)

Policy 1.3.1: Take an active role in broadening the accessibility and availability of special needs and service-enhanced housing for all City residents, including the homeless, elderly, persons with mental, physical, and developmental disabilities, persons with drug and alchohol dependency, large families, female-headed households, and persons living with HIV/AIDS.( P-37; P-39; P-42; P-59; P-60; P-62; P-63; P-84; P-86; P-87; P-88; P-89; P-92; P-95; P-96; P-97; P-98; P-99; P-100; P-101; P-102; P-103; P-104; P-105; P-106; P-107; P-108; P-109; P-110)
Policy 1.3.2: Facilitate residential building access for persons with disabilities by enforcing existing laws and developing additional standards for removal of architectural or other barriers from all historical buildings to accommodate people with special needs. ( P-42; P-92)
Policy 1.3.3: Support the establishment of shelter facilities and transitional housing with support services for homeless persons throughout the City. ( P-59; P-60; P-94; P-95; P-98; P-102; P-104; P-105; P-106)

ISSUE: LIVEABLE COMMUNITIES

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GOAL 2

A City which actively takes steps to preserve, stabilize, and enhance livability / sustainability in all neighborhoods throughout the City, and maintains the quality of life in all residential areas.

Objective 2.1

Promote housing strategies which enhance neighborhood safety and sustainability, and provide for adequate population, development, and infrastructure and service capacities within the City and each community plan area, or other pertinent service area.

Policy 2.1.1: Support rehabilitation of substandard housing.( P-6; P-7; P-25; P-50; P-54; P-64; P-65)
Policy 2.1.2: Facilitate neighborhood safety through improved development standards which provide for common areas, adequate lighting, clear definition of outdoor spaces, attractive fencing, use of landscaping as a natural barrier and to enhance aesthetic appearance, secure storage areas, and good visual connections. ( P-9; P-43; P-55; P-72; P-73; P-74; P-78; P-80; P-85)
Policy 2.1.3: Encourage mixed use development which provides for activity and natural surveillance after commercial business hours. ( P-70)
Policy 2.1.4: Enhance liveability of neighborhoods by upgrading the quality of development and improving the quality of the public realm, including streets, streetscape, and landscaping to provide shade and scale. (P-9; P-64; P-65; P-74; P-80)
Policy 2.1.5: Take steps to eliminate the use of lead-hazards and the use of lead based paint. ( P-10; P-11; P-52; P-54; P-56)
Policy 2.1.6: Monitor population, development, infrastructure and services capacities within the City and each community plan area, or other pertinent service area. ( P-73; P-79)
Policy 2.1.7: Establish through the Framework Long-Range Land Use Diagram, community plans, and other implementation tools, patterns and types of development that improve the integration of housing with commercial uses and the integration of public services and various densities of residential development within neighborhoods at appropriate locations. ( P-73; P-79)

Objective 2.2

Maintain and upgrade existing housing stock to meet Health and safety code requirements through enforcement of existing laws, rather than demolition when feasible.

Policy 2.2.1: Promote the cost effectiveness of rehabilitation of older housing in order to conserve historical resources. ( P-49; P-50; P-74; P-75)
Policy 2.2.2: Promote the cost effectiveness of rehabilitation of older housing in order to conserve historical resources. ( P-49; P-50; P-74; P-75)
Policy 2.2.3: Support enforcement of zoning and building codes. ( P-17; P-21; P-34)

Objective 2.3

Encourage the location of housing, jobs, and services in mutual proximity. Accommodate a diversity of uses that support the needs of the City's existing and future residents.

Policy 2.3.1: Encourage and plan for high intensity residential and commercial development in centers, districts and along transit Corridors, as designated in the Community Plans and the Transportation Element of the General Plan, and provide for the spatial distribution of development that promotes an improved quality of life by facilitating a reduction of vehicular trips, vehicle miles traveled in order to mitigate traffic congestion, air pollution, and urban sprawl. ( P-70; P-73; P-79)
Policy 2.3.2: Allow for the provision of sufficient public infrastructure and services to support the projected needs of the City's population and businesses within the patterns of use established in the community plans. Complete the update of the 35 community plans, and maintain them thereafter. ( P-73)
Policy 2.3.3: Encourage the development of new projects that are accessible to public transportation and services consistent with the community plans. Provide for the development of land use patterns that emphasize pedestrian/bicycle access and use in appropriate locations. ( P-73; P-79)
Policy 2.3.4: Encourage the development of child care facilities adjacent to park-and-ride facilities, in conjunction with new residential and commercial development in locations consistent with the Community Plans. ( P-73)
Policy 2.3.5: Whenever possible, assure adequate health-based buffer zones between residential and emitting industries and other uses which are potentially incompatible with a healthful living environment. Identify areas for the establishment of new open space opportunities to serve the needs of existing and future residents. ( P-73, site plan review and existing CEQA review process)

Objective 2.4

Develop, preserve, and enhance quality single- and multiple-family housing utilizing approved design standards which maintain the prevailing scale and character of the City's stable residential neighborhoods, and do not constrain affordable housing development.

Policy 2.4.1: Develop and implement urban design standards for all projects including open space requirements, height, bulk, setbacks, articulation of facades, building materials, and massing standards in order to achieve consistency with the character and scale of neighboring structures. Require commercial and mixed-use buildings located adjacent to residential zones be designed and limited in height and scale to provide a transition with these uses, where appropriate. ( P-74; P-80)
Policy 2.4.2: Revise community plans as necessary to conserve the existing urban form and characters of areas outside designated districts, centers, and mixed-use boulevards. ( P-73)

Objective 2.5

Encourage equitable distribution of affordable housing throughout the City.

Policy 2.5.1: Implement the Affordable Housing Incentives ordinance and other scattered site policies that support equitable distribution of affordable housing in various locations throughout the city. ( P-31; P-44; P-74; P-76)
Policy 2.5.2: Discourage development, demolition, and conversions that contribute to the loss of affordable housing and encourage one-for-one replacement (based on bedroom count) of demolished affordable units. ( P-22; P-38; P-71)
Policy 2.5.3: Reduce the supply of underutilized commercially zoned land by applying Mixed Use Boulevards designation in community plan updates. ( P-70; P-73)
Policy 2.5.4: Actively promote the financing of affordable housing. ( P-2; P-8; P-44)

Objective 2.6

Educate the public on lower income and special housing needs.

Policy 2.6.1: Implement an educational program on affordable housing needs. ( P-6; P-16; P-25)

Objective 2.7

Advocate for multifamily property management training for public and private multifamily housing.

Policy 2.7.1: Develop and conduct training programs for multifamily housing managers emphasizing sound management techniques and tenant screening to address environmental, health, and safety issues. ( P-16)

Objective 2.8

Assure that new development is generally consistent with the character and scale of adjacent development and an adopted community vision.

Policy 2.8.1: Establish individual community visions that retain and enhance community character through the Community Plan Update Program and Framework Element. ( P-73; P-79)
Policy 2.8.2: Facilitate housing production consistent with zoning by streamlining and, where possible, provide assistance to developers. ( P-4; P-74; P-77; P-80; and existing case managers in the Planning Department.)

ISSUE: HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

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GOAL 3

A City where there are equal housing opportunities for all without discrimination

Objective 3.1

Encourage the provision of citywide housing opportunities for people of all ethnic, age, special needs, and income groups to reduce discriminatory practices in housing.

Policy 3.1.1: Prohibit professional and business practices that are detrimental to the preservation and improvement of housing, such as redlining and slum-lording. ( P-13; P-14; P-15; P-90)
Policy 3.1.2: Encourage the inclusion of three, four, and five bedroom units in all residential projects in order to accommodate larger families. ( P-20; P-67; P-78) Encourage antidiscrimination and environmental justice policies in community plans and project approval process, to allow for diversity of population and income groups. ( P-73; P-81)
Policy 3.1.4: Aggressively support equal opportunity practices in the sale or rental of housing without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, age, gender, and family status, and develop specific programs to maximize these opportunities. ( P-28; P-29; P-40)
Policy 3.1.5.: Deposit public funds in lending institutions which meet community credit needs and Community Reinvestment Act responsibilities such as the financing of affordable housing and loans to low and moderate income households. ( P-32; P-33; P-93)
Policy 3.1.6: Take an active role in broadening the accessibility and availability of housing to all City residents, with particular attention to the special Needs of the homeless, very low, and low income households, disability, elderly, large households, families with children, single parent households, and persons living with AIDS. ( P-39; P-42; P-59; P-60; P-62; P-63; P-84; P-86; P-87; P-88; P-92; P-96; P-97; P-98; P-99; P-100; P-101; P-103; P-104; P-105; P-106; P-107; P-108; P-109; P-110
Policy 3.1.7: Assure fair treatment of people of all races, cultures, incomes and education levels with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies and with respect to opportunities for a healthful living environment. ( P-40; P-81)

ISSUE: GOVERNMENTAL AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL CONSTRAINTS

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GOAL 4

A City that provides incentives and reduces constraints for the production and preservation of all housing

Objective 4.1

Establish additional production incentives for developers of affordable lower-income, special needs, and market-rate housing.

Policy 4.1.1: Continue to facilitate the development of multiple-bedroom dwelling units for large families. ( P-20; P-67; P-78)
Policy 4.1.2: Cooperate with public and private entities in seeking innovative funding sources and implementing programs to produce affordable and special needs housing. ( P-2; P-8; P-25; P-29)
Policy 4.1.3: Utilize mixed use as an implementation tool to produce more affordable housing. ( P-69; P-70)
Policy 4.1.4: Make the necessary changes in development standards in the Los Angeles Planning and Zoning Code to implement the Affordable Housing Incentives Ordinance in order to provide greater incentives to build affordable housing. ( P-66; P-70; P-74; P-78; P-80)
Policy 4.1.5: Include additional incentives such as parking reductions in the Los Angeles Planning and Zoning Code to facilitate the development of new, and the preservation of existing lower-income housing. ( P-66; P-78; P-80)

Objective 4.2

Remove identified constraints on housing production and preservation

Policy 4.2.1: Expedite processing of new housing development and rehabilitation projects affordable to low and very low income households. ( P-4; P-74; P-80)

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