Since introduced in late 2022, the Mayor's Executive Directive 1 has been used in entitlement applications accounting for more than 14,000 new units of affordable housing, due in large part to streamlining provisions which allow developers to sidestep many of the city's discretionary review processes. That era could be coming to a close, at least for projects located within city's 35 designated historic districts.

In a motion introduced on April 26, Los Angeles City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky proposes the creation of a citywide interim control ordinance which would restore the Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ) review process for any permits required for 100 percent affordable housing projects within their boundaries.

Some of the areas covered by the City of Los Angeles' HPOZsCity of Los Angeles

"As the Council continues to deliberate any proposed ordinance to streamline affordable housing projects...it is of the utmost importance and in the interest of the public that the City ensure that any streamlined affordable housing development located in an HPOZ neighborhood preserve the city's HPOZ preservation plans and complement its historic character, inasmuch as exterior work, including landscaping, alterations, additions, and new construction, is subject to additional Planning Department review," reads Yaroslavsky's motion, which also states that the Planning Department must ensure that streamlined ED1 are "not out of scale," with preservation plans.

Upon Council action, Yaroslavsky's proposed ordinance would be presented for Council approval within 30 days. The ordinance would have an urgency clause, making it effective upon adoption for an initial 45-day period, with an option for extensions for up to two years, or until a permanent ordinance is enacted.

This is the second proposal in the past month which could undercut the sweeping streamlining provisions of ED1. A motion from Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez introduced earlier in April calls for the creation of a discretionary review process for ED1 developments requiring the demolition of existing rent stabilized housing.

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