Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in West Hollywood public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
7 issues in development with high priority
Affordable Housing Accessibility — Redundant Elevators
State law freezes new local building code rules until 2031, so the city will require two elevators in large senior/disabled affordable projects through its loan commitment letters instead, and will lobby Sacramento to fix the code.
1000 N. La Brea tower and billboard financing
A 34-story, 514-unit tower with 128 affordable units hinges on six billboards (22,000 sq ft) whose revenue terms commissioners couldn't fully audit. Housing advocates cheered; critics called it unauditable spot-zoning.
Westside Cities Affordable Housing Trust
West Hollywood is joining a regional housing trust with Santa Monica, Culver City and Beverly Hills that will issue affordable housing loans instead of grants, recycling funds over time — potentially adding roughly $8 million over 55 years.
Proposed six-story project at 1238 Larrabee Street
Neighbors on the hillside say the 49-unit building with only 16 parking spots threatens hillside stability, since their own building sits on loose 1958-era sand with no structural retaining wall, and narrow Larrabee Street cannot handle construction traffic.
Anti-Displacement Strategies and RSO Duplex Protections
The City accepted $631,449 in voter-approved Measure A funds to expand emergency rental assistance — up to $18,000 per household — through trusted nonprofit partners, aiming to stop evictions before they lead to homelessness.
City Now Subject to SB 35/SB 423 Ministerial Approvals
Because the city has permitted under 50% of its state housing allocation, qualifying multifamily projects can now skip public hearings and get streamlined ministerial approval. Commissioners noted this means zero public hearing and no neighborhood meeting — a major change in how projects get approved here.
Storage-space loophole in affordable housing
Developers are labeling units as storage or amenities, then converting them to ADUs after entitlement — dodging inclusionary housing requirements. Staff will draft a zoning fix and lobby the state.