Could L.A.’s rezoning plan to boost housing supply cause more tenant displacement?

Sandra Sanchez described the headaches as strong. “It doesn’t make sense to have this huge cornerstone of our housing policy solution be at risk.” Los Angeles is proposing changes because state housing rules mandate the city find land where developers can add 255,000 new homes — just over half of which would be affordable to low-income families. The incentives vary by location and project type, but here’s one example: Lots near both a Metro rail station and a rapid bus line could see developers build 120% more units than the underlying zoning allows, with the percentage of required low-income affordable units ranging from 11% to 27% of the new project. It would make less financial sense for developers to replace existing rent-stabilized housing, and some builders would instead choose to build in single-family areas where they’d demolish houses an occupant has chosen to sell. Because the city is proposing to allow developers to build more where existing apartments are, but also imposing additional costs through new tenant protections and replacement requirements, the planning department said it’s unclear whether more rent-controlled units would be demolished in the future than are today.