The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to explore establishing the Livable Communities Initiative along suitable transit-rich corridors.
The Livable Communities Initiative is a plan created by a group of advocates, urbanists and architects to address the city’s housing crisis by “combining gentle density and walkable complete streets” along the city’s commercial corridors, according to its website.
The council directed various city departments to report within 180 days with strategies to facilitate mid-scale developments and promote the creation of housing units and enhances commercial, mixed-use character. The council recommended that the city’s planning department consider waiving setbacks, a minimum density requirement and the elimination of parking minimums in transit-rich areas.
Other instructions included providing the council with options to streamline administrative review processes for projects eligible under the Livable Communities Initiative, and possible tools, fees, grants or strategies to fund public improvement projects along corridors identified by the initiative.
“The Livable Communities Initiative envisions a sustainable, equitable & affordable LA — today, Council adopted legislation to draft a plan to advance this vision,” Councilwoman Nithya Raman said on Twitter. “I’m excited to continue working with these dedicated advocates to move this forward.”