LOS ANGELES – This week, Mayor Karen Bass announced the public release of four draft Missing Middle LA ordinances. The proposed measures will help expand the production of “missing middle” housing—including duplexes, accessory dwelling units or ADUs, and small lot homes—in residential neighborhoods across Los Angeles.
The ordinances represent the latest step in Mayor Bass’s effort to address the city’s housing and affordability crisis by streamlining how housing is approved, built, and delivered across Los Angeles. The full text of the draft measures are now available for public review and feedback. After incorporating public input, the proposed ordinances will move forward to the city council for consideration later this year.
The newly released ordinances are part of the Missing Middle LA program, an initiative created through executive action or ED7 by Mayor Bass. This effort aims to make it easier to build smaller, more affordable options for homebuyers and renters alike by updating local zoning rules and policies to align with recently passed state housing laws.
A central feature of the newly released ordinances is a faster, simpler approval process for qualifying housing projects. Those that meet clear standards would move forward without lengthy reviews or public hearings, cutting delays, lowering costs, and giving homeowners and builders more certainty that their projects will be approved.
The Missing Middle LA ordinances will:
Make it easier to build small, more affordable homes by:
Allowing ADUs to be sold separately as condominiums.
Allowing lot splits on eligible residential properties.
Giving homeowners more flexibility to add ADUs and create additional homes on their property.
Create more starter homes by:
Making it easier to build townhomes and single-family homes in more areas across Los Angeles.
Helping eligible starter home projects with up to 10 homes move forward faster.
Offering incentives for starter home projects that are designed to fit the character of surrounding neighborhoods.
Establish clear design standards that:
Support walkable neighborhoods, stronger communities, and housing built within existing residential areas.
The city planning department will host an informational webinar on June 24 to provide an overview of the new ordinances and their impact on Los Angeles.
Details: Those interested in attending should RSVP here.