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Hearings on Condo Conversions
A week ago Councilmembers Herb Wesson and Ed Reyes announced a series of three joint PLUM and HCED hearings to address the loss of rental and rent-controlled units to condo conversion citywide. The first hearing, held this Tuesday, included special presentations by
Cecilia Estolano
, CRA;
Mercedes Marquez
, Housing Department;
Gail Goldberg
, Planning Department;
Andrew Adelman
, Building & Safety; and
Judy Reel
, City Attorney's office. CCA Manager of Public Policy, Catherine Leland, testified during public comment pointing to the cyclical nature of the for-sale condo market and urging the City to be cautious in any regulatory action.
As these meetings could result in a myriad of other housing issues, including rent control, CCA has been working hard to keep members up-to-date on new developments. CCA sent out notice of the hearings last week and CCA's Housing, Land Use & Development Committee included condo conversions on its agenda at this week's meeting. As well, CCA has formed a subcommittee to address issues related to condo conversions and viable solutions, and CCA staff and several members will meet with
Councilmember Wesson
on Monday to discuss the hearings. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact CCA's legislative team at 213-624-1213.
The next two hearings will be held on May 22nd at 6 p.m. at Walgrove Elementary School (Mar Vista) and on May 31st at 6 p.m. at Los Angeles Valley College.
Housing, Land Use & Development Committee Approves Industral Policy
On Wednesday, CCA's Housing, Land Use & Development Committee approved an industrial land policy proposal, finalizing several months of hard work on the part of CCA staff and members. A subcommittee, chaired by
Kate Bartolo
,
Kor Group
, has been working on a draft policy since March.
The policy proposes dividing industrial land into three categories: Pure Industrial districts (areas with little encroachment of other uses), Mixed Use Industrial districts (areas with substantial encroachment of other uses), and Mixed Use Commercial Corridors (CM zones and some adjacent C-zones with substantial encroachment of other uses). Overlay zones would be established for the mixed use districts. The proposal emphasizes job creation and development incentives.
CCA will present this proposal, which has been supported by numerous business organizations, to the City, who is currently undertaking an extensive study and analysis of industrial land in Downtown, Hollywood, and on the Westside. Once finalized, the policy will be publicly released.
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• On Thursday, CCA and member Jeff King hosted a successful breakfast fundraiser for Rocky Delgadillo for Attorney General. • On Wednesday, the City Council approved a moratorium on conversion and demolition of residential hotels citywide. CCA has been advocating against the proposal for months, testifying at the Planning Commission and PLUM. CCA worked with CM Jan Perry's office to include several technical amendments. • A motion to increase the number of fire inspectors Downtown is tentatively scheduled in the Public Safety Committee on June 5th. CCA presented this motion to Councilmember Jan Perry early this year. CCA IN THE NEWS
"The one policy in and of itself is not going to do major damage," said Carol Schatz, head of the Central City Assn., a business advocacy group. "It is the accumulation, the layering of one over the other…. We have high construction costs, the market itself is in a state of flux and then you start to impose these things. One alone won't cause terrible damage. But a number of them taken together, even if they affect different parts of the real estate market, can have a negative impact."
Los Angeles Times
, May 11, "
1-Year Ban OKd on Loft Conversions
," by Cara Mia Dimassa.
"Preserving units built in the early 1900s to house migrant railroad workers that have no bathrooms or kitchens does not strike us as the best low-income housing policy for the city," [Carol Schatz, President & CEO of the Central City Association] said.
Associated Press,
May 10, "
L.A. Bans Demolition of Downtown Flophouses to Slow Gentrification
," by Andrew Glazer.
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