Adaptive Reuse

The Los Angeles City Council recently adopted a Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (No. 188,793) that establishes zoning incentives and streamlined procedures for the conversion of existing commercial buildings and structures resulting in the creation of five or more residential units. The original Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, first adopted in 1999, only applied to buildings built before 1974 and located in or near Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA). The provisions of the original ARO were expanded in 2003 to include four small areas of the city, now defined as Adaptive Reuse Subareas.

The updated Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (ARO) expands eligibility beyond DTLA to all neighborhoods within Los Angeles city limits. Under the new ARO, all buildings that are at least 15 years old are now eligible, if they are located in Multifamily Residential, Commercial, Parking or Public Facilities Zones1. Parking structures or parking areas within an existing building that are at least five years old are also eligible, as is any existing building of this age, subject to Zoning Administrator approval (Sections 12.24 X.1 and 13B.2.1 of the Code).

The intent of the updated ARO is to remove most Zoning Code barriers to the reuse of existing buildings, allowing many more applicants to apply directly to the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) to obtain their building permit. A few of the more significant incentives that have been added include:

  • More flexibility in how interior spaces may be reconfigured without counting as new floor area, either by adding floor levels or new additions to replace any space removed to create light wells, courtyards or other open space within the existing building
  • Unified Adaptive Reuse Projects that provide affordable housing are eligible for unlimited density in the new construction portion of the project. 
  • Unified Adaptive Reuse Projects that provide affordable housing may add up to two new residential floors above an existing building
  • Minimum unit size requirements have been eliminated; units can now be as small as allowed by Building Code standards
  • A new rooftop story may be added, without counting towards a project’s building height or floor area, to provide new shared amenities or open space for residents

1R2, RD1.5, RD2, RD3, RD4, RD5, RD6, RW2, R3, RAS3, R4, RAS4, R5, CR, C1, C1.5, C4, C2, C5, CM, P, PB, or PF

While most  Adaptive Reuse Projects will qualify for by-right approval by LADBS, two types of projects will require an Administrative Review (ADM) by LA City Planning. ADM is not considered a discretionary approval for the purposes of CEQA, unless the existing building is determined to be an historical property.

  1. Surveyed Historic Resources. Adaptive Reuse projects involving properties identified as Surveyed Historic Resources are those assessed as eligible for historic designation through SurveyLA or another historic resources survey and included in HistoricPlacesLA, the City’s historic resources inventory. Applicants for Adaptive Reuse Projects involving a Surveyed Historic Resource are encouraged to schedule a preliminary consultation with the Office of Historic Resources (OHR) as early in their design process as possible.
  2. Unified Adaptive Reuse. Adaptive Reuse projects that include at least one existing building in combination with new construction, that also provide affordable housing must apply for Administrative Review. These projects are eligible to propose unlimited density in the new construction portion of the project, or add up to two new residential floors above an existing building being adaptively reused.

A smaller subset of Adaptive Reuse projects require Zoning Administrator review to obtain a Class 1 Conditional Use Permit, following procedures in Section 13B.2.1. of the new Zoning Code. These include projects that are:

  1. In existing buildings that are at least five but less than 15 years old.
  2. Designated Historic Resources or projects located within Historic Preservation Overlay Zones (HPOZs).
  3. Requesting incentives or exceptions that are not included in the ARO.
  4. Unified Adaptive Reuse projects that do not provide affordable housing.
  5. Adaptive Reuse projects located in Manufacturing Zones and within the boundaries of one of the Adaptive Reuse Subareas.

A Class 3 Conditional Use Permit is required when a conversion from a Non-Residential Use to a Hotel is proposed within the boundaries of one of the Adaptive Reuse Subareas and must follow procedures in Section 13B.2.3. of the new Zoning Code.

Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, Chapter 1 (No. 188,793)

Citywide ARO Administrative Review and Referral Form (ADM)

For properties subject to regulations established in the new Zoning Code (Chapter 1A) of the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC): 

  • LAMC Sec. 9.4.5. (Downtown Adaptive Reuse Program) of Chapter 1A authorizes applications for eligible Adaptive Reuse Projects in the Downtown Community Plan Area.
  • LAMC Sec. 9.4.6. (Citywide Adaptive Reuse Program) of Chapter 1A authorizes applications for eligible Adaptive Reuse Projects outside the Downtown Community Plan Area, in any Commercial-Mixed Use District, or on any lot in Density District 2 or FA, regardless of Use District.

For more information, please email planning.urbandesign@lacity.org