Why Zoning Matters While Rebuilding LA After the Fires
As Los Angeles begins the long process of rebuilding after the fires, we are presented with a unique opportunity to reevaluate our current zoning. Should we stick to our traditional single-family zoning (which currently covers around 72% of LA’s land area), or open more neighborhoods to multi-family development?
The multi-family development debate has been going on for decades. But with the devastating wildfires in January, we have an additional push for the expansion of multi-family zoning to help LA recover smarter, safer, and more equitably.
While many homeowners are understandably protective of their neighborhoods, re-zoning single-family neighborhoods to accommodate multi-family buildings doesn’t have to destroy neighborhood charm. In fact, allowing more housing types, such as duplexes, triplexes, small apartment buildings, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs), could be the key to rebuilding a stronger and more inclusive Los Angeles.
Here are three compelling reasons to incorporate low-profile multi-family development into traditionally single-family areas.
1. Promoting Sustainable Land Use
LA’s sprawl into high-risk wildfire zones has made the city more vulnerable. Rebuilding gives us a rare opportunity to reverse this trend by encouraging denser housing in already developed areas. Expanding zoning to allow more multi-family housing near transit lines, job centers, and existing infrastructure helps us grow inward instead of outward.
Not only does infill development limit residential building in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where fire risk is highest, but it also reduces car dependence for a positive effect on the environment and health of our residents.
Smart density means making better use of the land we’ve already developed instead of continuing to pave over more land, creating communities that are more vulnerable to natural disasters. This is becoming more and more important as climate changes alter weather patterns and increase volatility.
2. Creating More Attainable Housing
Even before the fires, Southern California had been facing a decades-long housing shortage. Rebuilding exclusively with single-family homes would only reinforce the status quo: high prices, low availability, and deep inequities. By allowing multi-family development in more parts of the city, especially in single-family zones that have historically excluded marginalized residents, we can create more attainable housing, allowing more Angelinos to live in safe, desirable neighborhoods.
Creating financially attainable housing does not require building low-income apartment towers on every block. It simply requires legalizing modest, well-designed homes and small multi-family buildings that fit into existing communities.
3. Building a Resilient Future
Rebuilding after wildfires is just as much about preparing for what’s next as it is about replacing what was lost. Multi-family buildings can be designed with modern, fire-resistant materials and meet updated codes that improve overall safety and efficiency. Denser communities also support more resilient infrastructure. By limiting sprawl, we can provide better emergency services access and shared utilities, which are notoriously hard to deliver in far-flung, sparsely populated neighborhoods.
Rezoning to increase multi-family development can also improve economic resilience. Giving displaced families more housing choices helps stabilize communities and speeds up recovery.
Gatsby Supports Finding a Balanced Path Forward
The push for more multi-family zoning doesn’t have to erase the distinctive character of individual neighborhoods in LA. Many residential housing types can blend seamlessly into single-family neighborhoods while making room for more people.
Gatsby Investment is committed to supporting rebuilding efforts in LA, with an emphasis on sustainability and resilience, while providing strong returns for real estate investors.
In the wake of the fires, we launched built-for-you developments to help homeowners rebuild and investors create more housing units. We have also established an efficient system for adding housing inventory by converting neglected single-family homes and vacant lots into small, multi-family developments. These ground-up construction projects can typically be built in under two years, helping us bring units to the market quickly while expediting investor returns.