On May 5, 2025, West Hollywood’s City Council voted 4-1 to advance Item F.6, directing staff to streamline housing approvals to meet the state’s 3,933-unit Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA) goal by 2029. With only 484 units permitted since 2021, Councilmember John M. Erickson’s 11 recommendations aim to address California’s housing crisis under laws like the Housing Accountability Act, but faced opposition over public input and tenant protections.
The primary reform, a Zone Text Amendment (ZTA), shifts approval for projects under 100 units from the Planning Commission to the Community Development Director, eliminating neighborhood meetings and limiting appeals to the City Council. A second ZTA, planned within two years, introduces ministerial “by-right” approvals, bypassing discretionary reviews and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) analysis. Other measures include removing parking minimums under AB 2097 (covering 95–97% of the city), concurrent permit processing, self-certification for smaller projects, and single-stairway buildings up to six stories to cut costs, which can exceed $75,000 per parking space.
Supporters emphasized efficiency and affordability. Councilmember Chelsea Byers called housing an “essential city service” slowed by delays, vital for inclusivity. Councilmember Danny Hang proposed advisory postcards for residents within 500 feet and housing minimums for mixed-use projects. Resident Nick Renteria endorsed the reforms, stating, “Our current process has made housing extremely expensive.” YIMBY Los Angeles backed the 100-unit threshold, citing a UCLA study showing by-right approvals reduce delays, potentially lowering costs. Jordan Beard argued streamlining welcomes diverse residents, aligning with West Hollywood’s values.
Erickson, citing five months of community input from Plummer Park meetings, argued restrictive zoning drives up costs, referencing Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies on streamlined approvals boosting affordability. The reforms include a 20% affordable housing requirement for new projects, balancing market-rate and accessible units. Supporters see the measures as modernizing housing production to meet state mandates while preserving local control.
Opposition from Councilmember Lauren Meister and residents like Larry Block highlighted risks to public input, tenant displacement, safety, and infrastructure, prompting significant amendments. Erickson reinstated neighborhood meetings to address input concerns. Byers proposed parcel size-based thresholds to ensure housing production, and a hotel carveout responded to concerns about commercial loopholes in mixed-use projects. Hang’s postcards aim for transparency without public hearings.
Staff will refine the proposal over 6–24 months, balancing state mandates with community demands. While supporters view the reforms as critical for affordability, opponents argue they threaten West Hollywood’s resident-driven character, setting the stage for further debate.
West Hollywood used to be a lovely place to live. I just hope I can get out before my biggest asset (my home), that I worked hard my whole life for, plummets like a rock. This inexperienced, ultra far left progressive group of kids running the council won’t be happy until they completely destroy this city. Empty storefront, crime, people doing drugs all over the place, they’ve turned it into a third world sh*thole. So sad to see what has happened just in the last five years. I’m done.
Awesome! So glad this passed. All of southern California is facing an acute housing shortage. You can’t claim to be progressive and ignore every study that says building more market rate housing brings down prices for all income levels. Kudos to the council!