Los Angeles City Council Advances Housing Initiatives

The Los Angeles City Council has unanimously approved a component of the Housing Element, specifically the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP), which aims to facilitate the construction of over 250,000 new housing units while preserving single-family neighborhoods. The ordinance incentivizes developers to build affordable housing near transit and job-rich areas, with a focus on high-density neighborhoods. In contrast, the City of Guelph, Ontario, has initiated a Housing Affordability Strategy to address its own housing crisis, aiming to increase affordable housing through various actionable steps over the next decade. Additionally, LA's Measure ULA tax, which generates funds from high-value property sales, has been allocated to support affordable housing projects and assist low-income residents, amidst ongoing legal challenges to the tax's implementation. The council's approval of these initiatives reflects a broader trend in urban planning to balance housing development with community preservation. Both cities are grappling with the pressing need for affordable housing amidst growing populations and economic disparities.