Urban Farming Program Struggles to Sprout

Los Angeles created a tax incentive to promote urban farms on the thousands of vacant lots around the city. So far, the incentive has been given out only four times.

2 minute read

July 31, 2018, 10:00 AM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Agriculture Exhibition

Supannee_Hickman / Shutterstock

Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones (UAIZ) is an incentive program meant to turn unused lots into urban farms. The idea was to pay property owners to allow their lots to produce food. "The reality has been different: So far, only four lots have received a tax break under the program," Ludwig Hurtado reports for CityLab.

"The UAIZ program allows owners of plots of up to three acres to claim a property-tax reduction if they use or lease the land for agricultural purposes for a minimum of five years," Hurtado explains. Some see this as part of the problem a five- year lease is a long commitment to property owners that may want to take advantage of changing property markets. "Landowners have the option of ending their contract whenever they wish, but state law requires them to pay back the amount they’ve received in tax benefits, unless their municipality determines that the cancellation was “caused by extenuating circumstances despite the good faith effort by the landowner,” as the code states," Hurtado reports.

Others say the city hasn't done enough to promote the program and explain it to those that might wish to participate. Still, time is not up on the program, it's original legislation slated it to phase out in 2019 it has since been extended to 2029. Whether or not it will become popular in the intervening time remains to be seen.

Tuesday, July 24, 2018 in CityLab

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Crowds of people walking and biking along waterfront in Sunset Dunes Park in San Francisco, California on a sunny day.

San Francisco Opens Park on Former Great Highway

The Sunset Dunes park’s grand opening attracted both fans and detractors.

April 22 - Mission Local

Portland Oregon Bus

Oregon Legislature to Consider Transit Funding Laws

One proposal would increase the state’s payroll tax by .08% to fund transit agencies and expand service.

April 22 - KATU.com

Houston, Texas skyline.

Housing Vouchers as a Key Piece of Houston’s Housing Strategy

The Houston Housing Authority supports 19,000 households through the housing voucher program.

April 22 - Urban Edge