A Los Angeles Times editorial explains how political intrigue is spilling over into planning frustration in the city of Los Angeles.

The controversy surrounding the Los Angeles City Council is having a direct impact on one of the city’s most ambitious planning efforts.
In case you missed the bombshell L.A. politics story at the end of 2022, several city councilmembers were caught on a leaked tape making racist remarks about fellow councilmembers and their family members. Then-Council President Nury Martinez resigned her position as a result of the controversy, former Councilmember Gil Cedillo was already a lame duck at the time of the leak, and current Councilmember Kevin de León is holding onto his seat despite calls for his resignation, protests at City Council meetings, and a violent altercation with an advocate at a holiday party at the end of 2022.
According to a recent L.A. Times editorial, however, the Downtown Community Plan (DTLA 2040), an early test for the city’s new zoning code, is collateral damage in the ensuing controversy.
“On development matters, the City Council generally defers to the council member who represents the area. And with the two men going into hiding after the scandal, the council’s Planning and Land-Use Committee put the plan on hold,” according to the editorial.
While this specific issue is problematic, according to the editorial, it’s also indicative of a larger challenge with the political culture surrounding planning and development. The editorial references the hiccups by the city in meeting the requirements of the state-mandated Regional Housing Needs Assessment process in 2022.
Council members treat their districts like fiefdoms in which they have complete control over land-use decisions. But that deference is now slowing the city’s much-needed effort to modernize its land-use rules and plan for 455,000 new homes, including 185,000 affordable units by 2029 to meet state requirements.
The editorial also notes that the Downtown Plan is a huge component of the city’s plan to deal with its homelessness and housing affordability crises. The political intrigue caused by a few councilmembers is slowing down on the pressing needs for more, affordable, high-quality housing in a city defined by overcrowded housing and the highest population of people experiencing homelessness anywhere in the country.
The clock is ticking, now, too:
If the City Council doesn’t act on the Downtown and Hollywood plans by May, the documents will expire and the Planning Department will have to restart the approval process, which could delay the plans by as much as a year. And, because the Downtown and Hollywood plans have dragged on for so many years, the Planning Department hasn’t been able to accelerate work on the next round of community plans.

The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.

Cool Walkability Planning
Shadeways (covered sidewalks) and pedways (enclosed, climate controlled walkways) can provide comfortable walkability in hot climates. The Cool Walkshed Index can help plan these facilities.

Congestion Pricing Could Be Coming to L.A.
The infamously car-centric city is weighing a proposed congestion pricing pilot program to reduce traffic and encourage public transit use.

Activists Mourn Potential Death of Bay Area Transit With Mock Funeral
In an action meant to draw attention to the financial crisis facing California’s public transit agencies, activists held a mock funeral for BART and Muni, citing the cause of death as ‘neglect.’

Proposed Short-Term Rental Tax Would Fund Affordable Housing in California
A state bill would impose a tax similar to a hotel tax on short-term rental owners, with the revenue funding affordable housing projects.

The Challenges of Aging in Place
Seniors in one Bay Area community want to stay in their communities, but many find the cost of living and maintaining older homes prohibitive.
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
City of Orange
City of Charlotte - Charlotte Area Transit
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Lomita
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.