L.A.'s New Housing Element Calls for 456,000 New Homes

The newly updated Housing Element of the city of Los Angeles General Plan makes an ambitious commitment to housing construction—after decades of slow construction and a population out of scale with the city's housing stock.

1 minute read

December 7, 2021, 8:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


The Los Angeles City Council voted in November "to adopt an update to the general plan's housing element which aims to accommodate the construction of up nearly 500,000 new homes," reports Steven Sharp for Urbanize Los Angeles.

The Housing Element update, titled the "Plan to House L.A.," requires the city "to add approximately 57,000 new homes annually between 2021 and 2029," reports Sharp. Living up to that standard would represent a fivefold increase on the city's current rate of housing production, according to Sharp's calculations.

Local elected officials are quoted in the article comparing Los Angeles' housing element update to the example of other cities, including neighboring Santa Monica and Pasadena, which have been more resistant to the requirements of the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment process.

Sharp's coverage of the Plan to House L.A. includes a lot of economic and demographic need for housing in the second most-populous city in the United States. Read more at the link below.

Tuesday, November 30, 2021 in Urbanize Los Angeles

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

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

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.

6 hours ago - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up of white panel at top of school bus with "100% electric" black text.

Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation

California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.

3 hours ago - California Air Resources Board

Aerial view of Freeway Park cap park over I-5 interstate freeway in Seattle, Washington at night.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

4 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

"No Thru Traffic - Open Streets Restaurants" sign in New York City during Covid-19 pandemic.

From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street

How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.

5 hours ago - Next City