Housing Initiatives

The Future of Housing in Los Angeles County

The Department of Regional Planning is working to increase housing choice, affordability and livability in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Read below to learn more about our newest housing initiatives. If you have any questions, please contact the General Plan Development / Housing Section at housing@planning.lacounty.gov or (213) 974-6417.

Housing Element Update

Recent Projects

Housing Element Update

The County of Los Angeles is currently updating the Housing Element of the General Plan. The County’s Housing Element serves as a policy guide to address housing needs for the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. The primary focus of the Housing Element is to ensure decent, safe, sanitary, and affordable housing for current and future residents of the unincorporated areas, including those with special needs. For more information, please visit the Housing Element page.

Inclusionary Housing Ordinance

The Inclusionary Housing Ordinance requires new residential projects to set aside a percentage of units for affordable housing. The inclusionary housing requirement varies based on housing type, project size, project location, and affordability level. Projects may also satisfy the requirement through off-site new construction. For more information, please visit the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance page.
Image credit: Saul Gonzalez

Interim and Supportive Housing Ordinance

The County has adopted the Interim and Supportive Housing Ordinance to encourage the development of housing that is critical to ending homelessness. Interim housing provides short-term stays and various services for people experiencing homelessness until they are connected with permanent housing. Supportive housing is affordable housing combined with a comprehensive array of services that help people who face the most complex challenges to live with stability, autonomy, and dignity.
Image credit: LINC Housing

Key components of the Ordinance are summarized below:

If you have questions about the Ordinance related to temporary occupancy of RVs, or emergency shelters in zones A-1 and A-2, please see these FAQ sheets:

Compact Lot Subdivisions

The intent of the Compact Lot Subdivision Ordinance is to promote affordable home ownership through the allowance of smaller, fee simple lots, in areas zoned for two-family and multi-family housing where infill development is encouraged. A “compact lot subdivision” is a land division that creates single-family residential lots with an area of less than 5,000 square feet. These compact lots are generally less than 50 feet wide, with modifications to other development standards, including but not limited to setback, street frontage, and access requirements.

To support the implementation of the Ordinance, we have also developed a resource that guides applicants through different design considerations for their compact lot subdivision projects. Please note that the design guidelines are not requirements; they are suggested best practices to identify the level of design quality expected for compact lot projects.