Los Angeles, a city grappling with a severe housing shortage, has over 20,000 vacant lots zoned for housing that remain unused.
A new initiative, “Small Lots, Big Impacts,” aims to transform these lots into affordable housing options like duplexes, fourplexes, and townhomes.
Dana Cuff, director of UCLA’s cityLAB, which is spearheading the initiative, explained that this project seeks to create a new wave of attainable homeownership by developing small-scale, multiunit housing. These housing types have been part of L.A.’s architectural history but were mostly offered as rentals. Now, they could be sold at more reasonable prices than traditional single-family homes.
The initiative is part of broader efforts to increase housing density and affordability in Los Angeles. Recent legislation has eased zoning laws, allowing more lots to be developed into small-scale complexes. This change is expected to provide affordable homeownership opportunities, especially in areas lacking mid-density buildings.
CityLAB’s analysis identified these lots as prime candidates for development, comprising just 2% of privately owned parcels in L.A. but holding significant potential for impact. The initiative recently announced three designer-developer teams to pilot these projects, supported by financial and regulatory assistance from groups like Genesis L.A. and LA4LA.
Los Angeles has also updated its community plans to promote equitable housing development, allowing for increased housing density and reducing parking requirements. These plans aim to build up to 135,000 new homes in downtown L.A. and Hollywood over the next 20 years.
Despite these efforts, challenges remain. The city’s housing crisis is exacerbated by a lack of affordable options for low-income renters. Critics argue that relying on market-based solutions alone won’t suffice. As noted by Métropolitiques, public funding and community control are essential to ensure housing for the most vulnerable residents.
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