Mayor revises ED1 with more protections for neighborhoods – Beverly Press & Park Labrea

Mayor Karen Bass has revised her Executive Directive 1, a measure that expedites approvals for 100% affordable housing projects, allowing developers to build housing faster.

The revisions announced on July 1 include protections for historic neighborhoods, hillside communities in high-fire risk areas and locations where rent stabilized buildings already exist. Projects in those locations will be subject to a more thorough city review process. In announcing the changes, the mayor said she remains committed to the program streamlining the approval process for 100% affordable projects, and the revisions will ensure that, “as we build, we build better.”

“The revision will create additional protections for existing residential tenants, ensure the protection of historic resources, create safeguards for projects in very high fire risk areas and industrial sites, and improve the design, landscaping and open spaces of new affordable housing,” Bass wrote in a letter outlining the changes. “It is … important that we include regulations to promote geographic equity and the distribution of affordable housing citywide. I remain committed to making this program to boost affordable housing production a permanent part of our city codes and I thank the City Council for their continued work to make this a reality.”

The changes were praised by United Neighbors, a coalition of neighborhood groups that advocated for additional protections under Executive Directive 1. United Neighbors is comprised of hundreds of community groups and residents associations throughout Los Angeles, including the Hancock Park Homeowners Association.

“ED 1 Revised will protect single-family neighborhoods, HPOZs and historic districts in their entirety, and RSO units, areas in high fire zones, R2 (duplexes) and hillsides, and prevent the ‘bait and switch’ described in guideline 4. This refers to a request from United Neighbors that would prevent developers from converting spaces such as recreation rooms, community rooms or fitness rooms into market-rate units at a later time and instead requires that any such spaces will have to be provided as covenanted affordable units like the rest of the project,” read a statement from United Neighbors.

For information about ED 1, visit planning.lacity.gov/project-review/executive-directive-1 and mayor.lacity.gov/executivedirectives.