Los Angeles Moves to Speed Apartment Development With New Housing Law
Los Angeles has enacted a new law aimed at significantly reducing approval timelines for certain apartment developments, marking another step in the city’s broader effort to address its ongoing housing shortage.
The ordinance, which recently became law, requires city departments to complete pre-construction reviews within 60 days and issue building permits within five days for qualifying residential projects. The change is intended to eliminate months of delay that have historically slowed housing production in Los Angeles.
What the Law Covers
The streamlined process applies specifically to apartment developments in which all units are restricted to households earning no more than 80 percent of the area median income. By focusing on income-restricted housing, the city aims to accelerate projects that expand access to more affordable apartments while prioritizing speed and certainty for developers.
City officials have said the new timelines significantly shorten a process that previously took as long as nine months for some projects.
Part of a Larger Housing Shift
The new law aligns with a broader push at both the local and state levels to increase housing production, particularly near transit and employment centers. California lawmakers have advanced multiple housing reforms in recent years designed to override local zoning barriers and encourage higher-density residential development.
In Los Angeles, the ordinance represents a more aggressive approach to reducing bureaucratic bottlenecks, especially for housing projects that meet affordability criteria.
Balancing Speed and Oversight
While the law accelerates approval timelines, it does not eliminate all review requirements. Projects must still comply with applicable building codes and regulations, and not all developments qualify for the expedited process.
Supporters argue that streamlining approvals is necessary in a city facing persistent housing shortages and rising rents. Critics caution that faster approvals must still be balanced with thoughtful planning and community considerations.
What Comes Next
As Los Angeles continues to implement housing reforms, the effectiveness of the new law will likely be measured by how many qualifying apartment projects move from proposal to construction more quickly — and whether the policy meaningfully increases housing supply over time.
The ordinance signals a clear intent by the city to move faster on housing, particularly for developments aimed at serving moderate-income residents.
Source & Attribution
This article is an original summary based on reporting first published by CoStar regarding Los Angeles’ new apartment development ordinance.
