Los Angeles City Council Votes to Support “Starter Homes”
State Reforms Target Construction Defects, Building Codes, Financing
“Like All Californians, Angelenos Deserve A Shot at the California Dream”
LOS ANGELES – Today, the Los Angeles City Council voted to support a package of housing legislation currently proposed in the State Legislature that would increase opportunities for homeownership by easing the construction of affordable “starter homes.”
Assembly Bills 1070 (Ward), 1406 (Ward, Wicks, and Wilson), and 1903 (Wicks and Wilson) target current barriers to small, multi-family homes and condominiums that effectively limit the supply of these housing types across the state. By changing how these housing types are financed and built, the package would increase the production of starter homes that are affordable to purchase.
“Most Californian renters want to become homeowners, but rules that limit the construction of homes for ownership put that dream out of reach for most people,” said Brian Hanlon, CEO of California YIMBY. “The entire state has a shortage of homes that are affordable for purchase – and like all Californians, Angelenos deserve a shot at home ownership. I’m grateful to the LA City Council for supporting these bills.”
The bills supported by the LA City Council today include:
- AB 1903, which will reduce housing costs and increase opportunities for homeownership by allowing builders to fix problems in newly-constructed homes before triggering costly lawyer fees and court proceedings.
- AB 1406, which will give more Californians a pathway to affordable homeownership by raising current limits on homebuyer deposits in new housing developments. The bill helps builders lower their construction and financing costs by reducing risk to lenders and investors, ultimately leading to lower-cost homes for Californians.
- AB 1070, which will direct state agencies to study how using the residential building code for small, multi-family home projects could accelerate the construction of “missing middle” housing.