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You can double the density by just building townhouses and small apartment buildings in many of these places. A small developer can buy up a couple of adjacent

You can double the density by just building townhouses and small apartment buildings in many of these places. A small developer can buy up a couple of adjacent lots, add double the capacity and still make a tidy profit. No imminent domain is needed here.

sbov 9y ago
Is there something that keeps row houses from being built instead of townhouses?
- bickfordb 9y ago
  Modern residential zoning codes often prohibits building within 5 feet of the property line (aka setback) or more.
bogomipz 9y ago
42% of the housing stock in Los Angeles is already apartment buildings[1]. These and commercial real-estate(strip malls) make up the majority of "the sprawl" in Los Angeles. Where does the land for your proposed solution of "just building townhouses and small apartment buildings" actually come from? Where are all these adjacent lots for sale? LA is no stranger to "small apartment buildings", this started back in the 1950's. In fact one of its architectural signatures is the "dingbat", its hard to drive anywhere in the city and not see these[2]. https://architizer.com/blog/dingbat-book-kickstarter/ https://architizer.com/blog/dingbat-book-kickstarter/ [1] http://www.nmhc.org/Content.aspx?id=4708 http://www.nmhc.org/Content.aspx?id=4708
- sjg007 9y ago
  I'd take down the strip malls and build mixed use, so lower level retail and upper level condos/apartments. If Condos, HOA could own the whole development so they would offset their dues by rents on the commercial space. Downtown could probably support higher rise buildings especially if you take out some of the warehouses (that aren't already condos).
  - bogomipz 9y ago
    LA certainly has an abundance of strip malls but those are people's businesses and livelihoods. Practically how do you just "take them down"? Are you talking about eminent domain? Who funds this? How about the parking for all of the people you propose putting in this repurposed space? Strip malls tend to be on major thoroughfares that already experience congestion. How do you handle this increase with the addition of all the new residents above the strip mall?
    - sjg007 9y ago
      They are usually leased by the property owner and you let the lease run out or buy them out. Then you give the owner incentive to build via tax abatement or something else. Lastly, parking can go underground or as is the new trend (Uber) less people actually want cars. In LA that can prove difficult but you'd probably start with areas that already have a higher walk score on average or are closer to some transit options (+uber). You could also come up with some innovative scheme. Also parking I think it less of a hurdle, all over Southern California you find areas with limited parking options with people living there.
- davidw 9y ago
  Is that 42% of housing units, or 42% of land is zoned for apartments? There's a huge difference between those!
  - bogomipz 9y ago
    Its 42% total of all housing stock is multiple dwelling units as opposed to free standing single family homes. The question/distinction you are asking isn't relevant since the majority of Los Angeles has both apartment buildings and single family homes on the same street or block. This is true even in the "desirable" neighborhoods such as Echo Park and Silvelake mentioned in the article. And it matters now where in that desirable neighborhood - up on the hill or in the flats. You will see a million dollar Craftsmen house and across the street nondescript stucco apartment building.
    - davidw 9y ago
      There is tons and tons of room to build up in LA - 2/3/4/5/6 stories in more places would add a lot of housing. This is the norm for densely inhabited places in the rest of the world. And it's not happening there, as elsewhere in the US, in large part because of zoning. Not because of mountains or earthquakes.
      - bogomipz 9y ago
        >"There is tons and tons of room to build up in LA - 2/3/4/5/6 stories in more places would add a lot of housing" Please provide a citation for where that "tons of room" is? Most apartment buildings in Los Angeles are at least two stories[1]. The majority of housing structures are 20+ units[1]. Los Angeles actually ranks among the best in terms of density despite it's sprawling nature[2]. That sprawl it turns out is actually somewhat efficiently. I have provided citations for all of my assertions including the one above that shows that the LA city council has been routinely rubber stamping high density projects[3]. Nowhere did I say mountains or earthquakes were an issue. I even pointed out that apartment complexes were common place even in the hills. Where are the data points and citations corroborating your statements? I don't see any. I guess they are just opinions then? [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/21/the-most-popular-type-of-home-in-every-major-american-city-charted/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/21/the-m... [2] https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2015/02/a-new-index-to-measure-sprawl-gives-high-marks-to-los-angeles/385559/ https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2015/02/a-new-index-t... [3] http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-planning-commission-zoning-changes-20170210-story.html http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-planning-commiss...

sbov 9y ago

Is there something that keeps row houses from being built instead of townhouses?

bickfordb 9y ago
Modern residential zoning codes often prohibits building within 5 feet of the property line (aka setback) or more.

bogomipz 9y ago

42% of the housing stock in Los Angeles is already apartment buildings[1]. These and commercial real-estate(strip malls) make up the majority of "the sprawl" in Los Angeles. Where does the land for your proposed solution of "just building townhouses and small apartment buildings" actually come from? Where are all these adjacent lots for sale? LA is no stranger to "small apartment buildings", this started back in the 1950's. In fact one of its architectural signatures is the "dingbat", its hard to drive anywhere in the city and not see these[2]. https://architizer.com/blog/dingbat-book-kickstarter/ https://architizer.com/blog/dingbat-book-kickstarter/ [1] http://www.nmhc.org/Content.aspx?id=4708 http://www.nmhc.org/Content.aspx?id=4708

sjg007 9y ago
I'd take down the strip malls and build mixed use, so lower level retail and upper level condos/apartments. If Condos, HOA could own the whole development so they would offset their dues by rents on the commercial space. Downtown could probably support higher rise buildings especially if you take out some of the warehouses (that aren't already condos).
- bogomipz 9y ago
  LA certainly has an abundance of strip malls but those are people's businesses and livelihoods. Practically how do you just "take them down"? Are you talking about eminent domain? Who funds this? How about the parking for all of the people you propose putting in this repurposed space? Strip malls tend to be on major thoroughfares that already experience congestion. How do you handle this increase with the addition of all the new residents above the strip mall?
  - sjg007 9y ago
    They are usually leased by the property owner and you let the lease run out or buy them out. Then you give the owner incentive to build via tax abatement or something else. Lastly, parking can go underground or as is the new trend (Uber) less people actually want cars. In LA that can prove difficult but you'd probably start with areas that already have a higher walk score on average or are closer to some transit options (+uber). You could also come up with some innovative scheme. Also parking I think it less of a hurdle, all over Southern California you find areas with limited parking options with people living there.
davidw 9y ago
Is that 42% of housing units, or 42% of land is zoned for apartments? There's a huge difference between those!
- bogomipz 9y ago
  Its 42% total of all housing stock is multiple dwelling units as opposed to free standing single family homes. The question/distinction you are asking isn't relevant since the majority of Los Angeles has both apartment buildings and single family homes on the same street or block. This is true even in the "desirable" neighborhoods such as Echo Park and Silvelake mentioned in the article. And it matters now where in that desirable neighborhood - up on the hill or in the flats. You will see a million dollar Craftsmen house and across the street nondescript stucco apartment building.
  - davidw 9y ago
    There is tons and tons of room to build up in LA - 2/3/4/5/6 stories in more places would add a lot of housing. This is the norm for densely inhabited places in the rest of the world. And it's not happening there, as elsewhere in the US, in large part because of zoning. Not because of mountains or earthquakes.
    - bogomipz 9y ago
      >"There is tons and tons of room to build up in LA - 2/3/4/5/6 stories in more places would add a lot of housing" Please provide a citation for where that "tons of room" is? Most apartment buildings in Los Angeles are at least two stories[1]. The majority of housing structures are 20+ units[1]. Los Angeles actually ranks among the best in terms of density despite it's sprawling nature[2]. That sprawl it turns out is actually somewhat efficiently. I have provided citations for all of my assertions including the one above that shows that the LA city council has been routinely rubber stamping high density projects[3]. Nowhere did I say mountains or earthquakes were an issue. I even pointed out that apartment complexes were common place even in the hills. Where are the data points and citations corroborating your statements? I don't see any. I guess they are just opinions then? [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/21/the-most-popular-type-of-home-in-every-major-american-city-charted/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/09/21/the-m... [2] https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2015/02/a-new-index-to-measure-sprawl-gives-high-marks-to-los-angeles/385559/ https://www.citylab.com/transportation/2015/02/a-new-index-t... [3] http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-planning-commission-zoning-changes-20170210-story.html http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-planning-commiss...