Economic Argument for Historic Preservation in L.A.: Older Housing is Affordable Housing

With state efforts to increase new housing production threatening local processes for identifying and preserving historic sites, buildings, and neighborhoods, the LA Conservancy, as part of its 40th anniversary celebration, recently published Preservation Positive Los Angeles. The study’s goal: to unpack the economic impacts of historic preservation in Los Angeles. 

TPR interviewed the report’s author, Donovan Rypkema, principal of PlaceEconomics, and LA Conservancy’s Adrian Scott Fine, to highlight the report’s myth-busting findings on the impacts of HPOZs on affordability, density, diversity, and economic resilience of neighborhoods across Los Angeles. Rypkema reminds state policymakers that preserving old, dense housing inherently preserves what the state asserts it most needs: affordable housing. Rypkema points out: 

"In LA, you have to build more housing, but step one is to—designation or not—quit tearing down stuff that provides affordable housing." —Donovan Rypkema

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