LA's Density Bonuses Thrown Out

"A group of Los Angeles homeowners associations and other residents filed suit over the ordinance last year after the president of the city's Planning Commission sent them an e-mail informing them it would be vulnerable to a legal challenge. The opponents of the law claimed that it was hurting local communities by increasing traffic and creating parking shortages.

They also claimed that far from leading to more affordable housing, the law paradoxically was reducing the supply because developers would raze existing apartments for low- and moderate-income residents and replace them with condos, mostly selling at market prices.

McKnew's ruling can be appealed."