Designing Livable Communities in Los Angeles: How Innovative Housing Design Can Reduce Car Usage and Climate Impacts
By California State University University undergraduates: Rebecca Swint, Erick Robles, and Benjamin Lin. Academic Advisor: Loraine Lundquist, PhD
Los Angeles is in the middle of a housing crisis. The L.A. City Council recognizes that there is an urgent need to build nearly half a million homes to meet state requirements. While the precise deadlines for rezoning new housing are in flux, there is little debate that we have a serious housing shortage that must be addressed.
This crisis has presented Los Angeles with a unique opportunity to innovate and explore new strategies to meet this challenge. To date, Los Angeles’ strict zoning ordinances and parking minimums have forced housing developers to provide limited options: They can either build luxury housing units, which are too costly for many residents, or suburban tract homes, which come with the burden of some of the longest commutes in the nation. The pollution generated by Los Angeles’ commuter traffic is unsustainable, unhealthy, and left at its current rate, will continue to accelerate climate change.
This current housing model also limits consumer choice. There is a large gap in housing market demand that the market cannot currently supply. Where is the housing for people who want to live close to work, in walkable, bikeable communities? Where is the housing for people who can’t afford a car or don’t want one? Where is the housing for people who want to choose from an array of housing options at every stage of life?