NPA Ballot Initiative
Ghenoiu, Erik, Masha Hupalo, Andrew Chittenden, and Case Miller
| “NPA Ballot Initiative” | Policy Analysis | Los Angeles, CA | Jan 2019
Neighborhood Protection and Affordability (NPA) Ballot Initiative explored by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce aims to produce, preserve and protect a diverse housing stock while creating mixed-income communities. SCI-Arc performed an initial analysis of policy elements to calibrate an inclusionary zoning mechanism. NPA increases the base density and permissible floor area of all multi-family and commercial zones in the City of Los Angeles to promote the construction of new housing, with certain inclusionary requirements for projects that take advantage of this added density. Potential results could include 5.8 million square feet of additional residential development and 15,200 units added, (a 60% increase) under NPA annually.
Incentives vary depending on the Tiers that are calculated per census tract, and derived from the percentage of renters within a census tract paying more than 50% of their gross income on rent, using US Census data. Allocating incentives at the level of census tract allows for a fine grained responsiveness to the variety of needs and dynamics within the City. Higher tiers within more rent-burdened tracts mandate a greater percentage of affordable units, but remain economically viable through reduced land use fees and facilitated access to Density Bonuses and Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) entitlements.
The Affordability Fund is generated from a limited-duration building permit fee ($1 per permit 5 years) and a tier-based land use fee on new development. The Fund must be used by Neighborhood Councils to support lower income residents within their jurisdictions in the form of rent subsidies, food items, school su pplies for students, utility bill payments, child care, and transportation cards and vouchers.
View the summary of the proposed Ballot Initiative here:
Partners: Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, Deloitte