LA Parking Reform is Bearing Fruit

Changes to minimum parking requirements near transit lines are spurring more residential development with little or no on-site parking.

1 minute read

April 28, 2024, 11:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


One-story bungalow court complex in Pasadena, California with leafy green palm trees.

Bungalow courts, once popular in the Los Angeles area, were effectively outlawed by parking requirements. | Downtowngal, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons / Bungalow court

Recent changes to minimum parking requirements in Los Angeles County are yielding results as more developers plan residential projects with limited or no on-site parking, reports David Wagner in LAist.

“A recent analysis from real estate data firm ATC Research found that 73% of projects being proposed through L.A. Mayor Karen Bass’s affordable housing fast-tracking program ED1 feature no on-site parking.” This cuts down significantly on development costs and allows builders to fit more units on a lot. “Studies have shown that providing on-site parking in California raises apartment construction costs by around $36,000 per unit and increases rents by about $200 per month,” Wagner adds.

The new rules only apply to developments near transit lines, Wagner notes, but local lawmakers “are slowly chipping away” at those parking minimums as well. “Last week, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted in favor of rules for unincorporated parts of the county requiring one parking spot per apartment — regardless of the number of bedrooms — in buildings with 10 units or less,” cutting prior requirements in half.

Monday, April 22, 2024 in LAist

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

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

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.

May 28, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

AI-generated image of high-speed rail trail in elevated track in green hilly farmland.

Four Reasons Urban Planners Can’t Ignore AI

It’s no longer a question of whether AI will shape planning, but how. That how is up to us.

May 28, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Aerial view of Bend, Oregon.

Bend, Deschutes County Move to Restrict Major Homeless Encampment

City and county officials are closing off portions of an area known as Juniper Ridge where many unhoused residents find shelter, hoping to direct people to housing and supportive services.

May 30 - The Bulletin

Metro rail station in Mariachi Plaza with colorful glass pavilion in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California.

High Housing Costs Driving Down Transit Ridership in LA

When neighborhoods gentrify and displace lower-income residents, transit ridership suffers, new research shows.

May 30 - CALmatters

Des Moines, Iowa skyline viewed from a plaza with two flags on either side at dusk.

Iowa Legalizes Accessory Dwelling Units

A new law will allow property owners to build ADUs on single-family lots starting on July 1.

May 30 - Smart Cities Dive

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.