Less Ugly Homes Like This for LA

An uncharacteristic home on Sunnyslope Ave. in Sherman Oaks | Photo by Zach Behrens/LAist

The Los Angeles City Council passed the first citywide anti-mansionization ordinance today, stopping the development of single-family houses that are built more than the half the size of their lots.

Mansionization has been an ongoing point of discussion in neighborhoods as community members saw out of scale and uncharacteristic homes built by developers. For example, on a block full of single family houses with normal setbacks away from the sidewalk, a developer would come in and build a large home that was taller, bulkier and set back differently -- ultimately making the new dwelling an eye sore.

Councilman Tom LaBonge introduced the ordinance two years ago. "Los Angeles is a city of great neighborhoods. In order for it to continue as a city of great neighborhoods, we must protect the neighborhoods from oversized buildings that destroy the character of a neighborhood," he told KNBC. "I don't think everybody is happy but at least we're not going to see odd-looking buildings."

Councilwoman Wendy Greuel, who authored a similar ordinance for Sunland-Tujunga, said in a statement "that no two neighborhoods are the same. For this reason, I worked to secure a process that will allow communities to create overlay zones with different requirements tailored specifically to the unique needs of their neighborhood." Houses that meet a certain criteria, "such as larger setbacks and properties that are certified as being environmentally friendly, would be allowed an additional 20 percent square footage," said KNBC.

In Del Rey, neighbors are fighting a multi-family mansionization development with a brilliant advocacy video on YouTube, which was posted on LAist back in March.