Updated Boyle Heights Community Plan promises more affordable housing, new zoning along L.A. River

By Andrew Lopez | Boyle Heights Beat

Published Sep 29, 2024 5:00 AM

Trains pass along tracks next to a river. There is a bridge in the background.

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This story was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat on Sept. 26, 2024.

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to adopt proposals to update the Boyle Heights Community Plan, a blueprint for the neighborhood’s growth.

The update commits to addressing the housing needs of current and future residents and moves to update zoning regulations adjacent to the L.A. River and Pico-Aliso neighborhoods. It also moves to implement a series of amendments introduced by 14th District Councilmember Kevin de León that establish incentives for mixed-income projects that will require affordable housing.

De León called the adoption an aggressive move by the city, saying the “mandatory inclusionary housing policies” serve as guardrails against gentrification in the community.

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“The concerns around displacement of residents and businesses in a gentrified market are very, very real,” De León said.“ The updated Boyle Heights Community Plan presents the opportunity to shape future developments.”

The plan is one of 35 neighborhood-specific plans that aim to improve the quality of life by addressing issues like housing, safety, infrastructure, land use and mobility, all while preserving the cultural identity of the neighborhoods they encompass. The Boyle Heights Community Plan was last updated in 1998.

At a Planning and Land Use Management Committee (PLUM) meeting last week, city planner Andy Pasillas stressed the prioritization of development along historic business and transit corridors in Boyle Heights like 1st Street, Olympic Boulevard and Cesar Chavez Avenue “as a strategy to discourage the displacement of existing communities.”

The City Council initially approved a modification to the community plan last December, but amendments requested by De León required further approval.

A concrete plaza with lots of street lots around it on a sunny day. A car passes by on the street on the left side.

In January, the City Planning Commission recommended an updated hybrid industrial zoning modification to the industrial areas on the western edge of Boyle Heights to offer a mix of new housing and non-residential incentives like legacy small businesses.

The latest update incentivizes developers to build in the proposed zones by the L.A. River. The plan will also offer opportunities for legacy small businesses to be relocated to the new development area to further preserve the culture and identity of the neighborhood. The Boyle Heights Community Plan already includes supportive policies for street vending and legalizes corner stores, creating paths for entrepreneurship in Boyle Heights.

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Two maps in orange and dark red and grey. Both have text that reads above each "Reflect Existing Development Patterns" and "Allow for More Housing" with Spanish translations and a legend in the bottom right corner.

Projections state the plan update will accommodate 38,000 new residents, 14,000 housing units and create 12,000 jobs by 2040, according to a city planning department presentation last week.

The plan implements new regulations for affordable housing developments across Boyle Heights and commits to developing affordable housing for acutely low-income to lower-income residents. To better serve the neighborhood demographics, there will also be a stronger push for apartments with two or more bedrooms in new developments.

Soil sampling throughout Boyle Heights will also be conducted to address the longstanding environmental stressors in the neighborhood.

In a December 2023 letter to the greater City Council and PLUM Committee, De León wrote that he supported plan-related development that uplifted small business, expanded upon affordable housing and resources that supported youth development. The councilman also suggested a study be done regarding the lack of parking infrastructure in the area that doesn’t match the “unabated parking demand.”

The plan, which has been a multi-year collaborative effort with input from community stakeholders, will now enter a “form and legality” process where its zoning regulations are reviewed and refined by the city attorney’s office to streamline implementation and also incorporate any action items from the City Council.

A city planning department spokesperson said the plan is anticipated to become effective in the second half of 2025.