Los Angeles Embraces Urban Agriculture

As reported by Angel Jennings, councilmembers Felipe Fuentes (7th District) and Curren Price (9th District) proposed a bill to transform the 9,662 acres of vacant lots throughout the city. As Jennings writes, "Last year, the state Legislature approved the Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones Act, which authorized a tax adjustment for private property owners who lease land for commercial or noncommercial agriculture use for at least five years. The council members want that law implemented locally."

Of the 22,681 vacant lots, only 8,600 meet the necessary conditions for the tax break; they are "between 0.10 and 3 acres in size, dedicated to agriculture and animal husbandry, free of dwellings not intended for agriculture or educational purposes, and located within a zone that allows for agricultural use," according to estimates by the Los Angeles Food Policy Council.

The final step to implement the state law in Los Angeles is the approval from the County Board of Supervisors.