A plan to build 1,500 rental apartments where six parking lots now sit is just the latest sign of the insatiable demand for housing gripping downtown Los Angeles.
"A dearth of apartments is fueling one of the city's largest building booms in years," reports Dawn Wotapka. "There are about 14,000 apartment units in downtown Los Angeles. About 5,100 units are under construction, and more than 3,400 units were built between 2008 and 2013, according to Polaris Pacific, a real-estate sales, marketing and research firm. More than 3,000 additional rental units have been approved, with another 7,000 proposed. Meanwhile, there are only 17 condo units for sale and 68 under construction."
"This is a revolution," said Carol Schatz, president of the Downtown Center Business Improvement District. "We had a functioning downtown up until the '40s and then the car culture grabbed us by the throat and almost choked us to death." Sentiments have changed, she said, because "we have given people a reason to live downtown."
FULL STORY: In Downtown L.A., a Housing Revival
Parking Lots to Become Pedestrian Paradise in Downtown L.A. Redevelopment
In what's being called "the largest downtown land acquisition since the recession", six acres of parking lots will be redeveloped as a $750-million mixed-use complex - continuing the astonishing transformation of L.A.'s South Park neighborhood.
L.A.'s Pandemic Rent Cap to Stay in Place Until 2023
Landlords have been unable to raise rents on rent stabilized apartments in Los Angeles since March 2020. Unlike in other large cities with similar rules, Los Angeles won't be removing the rent cap anytime soon.
Businesses Oppose Conversion of Parking Structure Into Affordable Housing
Business owners in downtown Santa Monica have filed a lawsuit opposing the city's planned replacement of a parking structure with housing, despite city studies showing that the city's downtown parking supply far exceeds demand.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Portland Raises Parking Fees to Pay for Street Maintenance
The city is struggling to bridge a massive budget gap at the Bureau of Transportation, which largely depleted its reserves during the Civd-19 pandemic.
Spokane Mayor Introduces Housing Reforms Package
Mayor Lisa Brown’s proposals include deferring or waiving some development fees to encourage more affordable housing development.
Houston Mayor Kills Another Bike Lane
The mayor rejected a proposed bike lane in the Montrose district in keeping with his pledge to maintain car lanes.
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Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont