The American Institute of Architects Los Angeles (AIALA) has published a set of strategies urging LA city leaders to tackle the city’s homelessness and affordable housing crisis. The“House All Angelenos” Call-to-Action urges officials to adopt seven strategies aimed at accelerating the construction of affordable homes, and facilitate a more diverse, resilient housing portfolio for the 66,000 residents that lack adequate shelter in the region. The strategies encompass changes to zoning, subsidies, definitions of dwellings, and requirements for developers to provide affordable housing in new developments. 

"On a daily basis, architects create supportive, affordable, and market-rate housing throughout the Los Angeles area. It is our responsibility to share the expertise we have garnered with our region at this time of crisis," says AIALA President Wade Killefer, FAIA. “While these strategies lead to housing for those currently without, they also elevate life for all Angelenos. They improve neighborhoods, elevate the region through inclusivity, and support the Los Angeles business community because stable housing supports stable workforces.”

The first of the seven strategies calls for the repeal of the 1986 Prop U downzone along commercial boulevards. Repealing Prop U would allow for increased density along commercial boulevards and remove what the AIALA describes as a “development strait-jacket” preventing residential development along mixed-use streets.

The second strategy calls for the incentivization and permission for new models of housing, recognizing that only 20% of the US population live in the traditional family structures favored under current housing standards. The AIALA argues for a broader legal definition of a dwelling unit to encompass scenarios such as shared kitchens and showers, thus increasing the number of affordable small and shared housing units in the city.

The third strategy calls on the State Board of Equalization to remove a requirement that developers obtain government financing in order to qualify for property tax exemptions. AIALA notes that property tax can account for up to 50% of total expenses for multifamily projects and that current relaxations in red-tape for affordable housing are largely limited to those that utilize public funding. Removing the requirement to utilize public funding on these projects would allow for more units through private capitalization.

The fourth strategy calls for a fully coordinated digital submittal and approval process. This one-step digital review process could streamline the existing approval system which sees input from multiple agencies, all with their own personnel and varying requirements, supervisors, and fees.

The fifth strategy calls for the revision of transitional height restrictions, which the AIALA argues is currently restricting building heights and density along commercial boulevards. At present, most commercial arteries in the city are adjacent to R1 zones, which can limit their heights to between 25 and 33 feet. A review of the treatment of buildings along these boundaries could allow commercial arteries to increase building heights and transition to lower heights by stepping down around these arteries.

The sixth strategy calls for the advancement of inclusionary zoning (IZ) policies, which are designed to increase the total number of new affordable homes. These policies would include requirements and incentives for developers of new market-rate, multifamily housing to set aside a percentage of new units for lower-income residents.

The final strategy calls on the Federal Government to declare that housing is an infrastructural right and provide generous Section 8 vouchers to all residents suffering from housing insecurity. This includes lobbying the U.S. Congress to pass an American Jobs Plan bill which includes this right.