Severe housing insecurity across Los Angeles County has been decades in the making due to the lack of housing growth compared to population growth in the region. Even more so, the impact of the housing crisis, such as overcrowding, cost burden, and home-ownership rates, disproportionally burdens those most vulnerable. As a result, the state has responded with legislative changes to facilitate housing construction and additional pressure has also been placed on jurisdictions statewide to respond to this crisis on the local level.

Project Overview

Zoning regulations play an essential role in governing what gets built in West Hollywood, with the potential to either hinder or encourage housing development. The City is evaluating future zoning updates to reduce barriers to creating housing. Recommendations will prioritize affordability and how new housing development aligns with community demographics and the City's diverse housing needs.

The updates will also consider the proximity of housing to important community amenities, including significant transit investments (such as future stations for the proposed Metro K-line extension and existing major transit stops), employment centers, public facilities, and recreational open space. The impacts of zoning changes will be incremental to balance contextual design and equitable housing access for all.

To inform recommendations, the City is analyzing the impacts of zoning at multiple scales. Mapping and data analysis will demonstrate the implications of zoning on land use in neighborhoods throughout the City. Lot-level studies will be developed to assess the potential for different forms of housing development given lot dimensions, zoning requirements, and financial considerations.

Throughout this process, input from community members, developers, and other stakeholders engaged in housing and community development work will be vital in guiding priorities for zoning changes. We encourage you to participate by completing the mapping survey below or attending upcoming community workshops.

Project Goals

As we explore proposed zoning updates, we want to hear your thoughts and recommendations on a few different topics:

• Production. Increase housing supply through a targeted equity-driven strategy that aligns with local housing needs.
• Affordability & Accessibility. Encourage the delivery of affordable and diverse housing choices, meeting residents' needs based on the fair distribution of housing types at every affordability level.
• Equity. Expand access to diverse housing types in all neighborhoods and mitigate displacement risk for those most vulnerable, relying on equity measures to inform the approach.
• Environmental Stewardship. Adopt land use approaches that minimize environmental impacts by leveraging the City's transit and pedestrian infrastructure and concentrating housing near neighborhood and regional amenities.
• Strengthening Neighborhoods. Preserve naturally occurring affordable housing and encourage contextual approaches to development that integrate with existing historical sites and neighborhood identity.