The West Hollywood housing streamlining proposal will go before the Planning Commission Thursday night, with City staff saying it would speed up approvals, but some residents warning it could cut the public’s and the commission’s ability to push back on new development projects.
The item, listed as 10A on the Jan. 15 agenda, would shift a lot of housing and mixed-use projects away from the Planning Commission hearing process and into staff-level review by the Community Development Director. First stop appeals would no longer go to the Planning Commission but rather, the City Council, raising concerns this would hinder the public’s ability for easy access to raise concerns and objections.
In an email sent to neighbors and shared with WEHOonline, West Hollywood Heights Neighborhood Association Chair Elyse Eisenberg, described the proposal as “the opposite direction the City should be taking” and said residents need to make their voices heard, warning that the change could “limit and perhaps even cancel outright” meaningful public review for most housing projects.
Since few developments in West Hollywood ever reach 100 units, Eisenberg said raising the threshold for mandatory Planning Commission hearings would mean that many future projects, even large ones by neighborhood standards, could be approved without a public hearing before the Planning Commission. “As very few projects are that large in scope, this would effectively prevent your input into almost all housing projects, no matter how unsuitable or egregious they may be for your neighborhood,” she wrote.
Eisenberg said the issue is especially problematic for hillside and canyon neighborhoods such as WeHo Heights, which are now designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. She pointed to several big projects already moving forward on Larrabee Street and Clark Street and warned that increased density on these steep, narrow roads could affect evacuation routes, emergency vehicle access, and everyday traffic.
She said the proposals are “reckless” and that fast-tracking similar projects without public hearings could put both existing and future residents at risk.
Her overall concern is not any single development, but what she sees as a shift in power away from residents and the Planning Commission and toward an administrative process that is harder for the public to engage with.
What The City Is Proposing
Staff describes the change as a procedural update, not a change to zoning rules. The proposal would expand the category of “qualifying” housing projects that can be approved through a Development Permit by the Community Development Director, rather than through a public hearing before the Planning Commission.
For those projects, the commission would no longer be the decision-maker, and it would no longer serve as the first level of appeal. Appeals would go directly to City Council.
Staff says the goal is to reduce review timelines for projects that already comply with City standards, as West Hollywood works to meet state housing production requirements.
What Would Not Change
The City is not proposing to alter height limits, density, design standards, inclusionary housing rules, or tenant protections. Staff also says projects would still be subject to notice requirements, written public comment, and the right to appeal. Public input, in a technical sense, would not disappear.
Why Critics Remain Skeptical
Despite the City’s assurances that public input will not technically disappear, opponents argue that the venue for that input is vital. Planning Commission hearings offer an on-the-record forum where commissioners can question developers and residents can voice concerns before a vote is cast. Opponents say moving these decisions to an administrative process forces neighbors to mount more formal appeals to City Council to get the same level of scrutiny. For those in sensitive hillside areas, “streamlining” is seen as a way to reduce early, visible pushback on issues such as fire safety.
How Might the Commission Vote
While past isn’t always prologue, at a meeting back in February 2025 on West Hollywood’s proposed Ministerial Housing Permit rules, the Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend the ordinance move forward to City Council, backing a streamlining framework tied to new state housing laws and faster approvals even amid concerns about oversight.
The Planning Commission meeting will take place Thursday, Jan. 15, at 6:30 p.m. in the West Hollywood Park Council Chambers, 625 N. San Vicente Blvd. As a public hearing, the commission will provide a recommendation to City Council, which holds the final vote at a later date. Full agenda packet is posted here.
Seems counter intuitive to change the checks and balances in the current building requirements.
Trust us they say. Please. This city council hasn’t been on the residents’ side for the last five years (with the exception of Lauren Meister). I don’t believe a word that comes out of their mouth. They have an agenda and they’re going to pursue it, their constituents be damned.
It’s not that homeless people don’t want to get off drugs,and go into housing,it’s that..California nimby’s push back,on every project being built like: Rehabs,mental health facilities,housing ect,because they don’t want certain people,living near them.l,it’s the old redlining mentally..!
Yet somehow West Hollywood has managed to build hundreds of affordable housing units… Demonizing neighborhood input, which is often common sense, as “NIMBY” is just a way for developers to shut down minimal public comment. The threats to democracy don’t all emanate from Washington DC.
Totally agree with you Steve. I attended the horrific council meeting in which Erickson proposed this “big beautiful bill” in spite of wide and strong opposition in writing and in person from residents. As a reminder, Heilman thought the bill wasn’t a good idea but he voted in favor of it. Disgusting
No ! The West Hollywood Inclusionary Housing Ordinance While it intends to increase affordable housing production,critics argue that the ordinance’s requirements can reduce the economic feasibility of projects,potentially discouraging development altogether..! Nimby’s are Demonizing developers by trying to block them from building in neighborhoods..! The threats to democracy lies in west hollywood..!
We see this time and time again that there are those homeless people that don’t want to get off drugs and go into housing. Even some of them that aren’t on drugs don’t want it to go into housing because they don’t want to be told what to do. They don’t want to have to follow rules. They want to continue doing what they want to do. And for the ones that do want to go into treatment, more facilities are needed, but it doesn’t make great sense to put them into neighborhoods with families. We all have seen the… Read more »
The problem is: California nimby’s have pushed to make it expensive to build in California,We’ve seen this from the beginning with the redlining laws,so it’s not that the unhoused doesn’t want to get off drugs into housing,it’s the high cost to build,permits,and regulations that nimby’s vote for,that keeps the unhoused in the streets. The other day in Santa Monica they put 40 unhoused individuals in a rehab,and the nimby’s,cried and complained,until the rehab was shutdown,so it’s not that the unhoused doesn’t want to follow rules,it’s that nimby’s have Immoral standards for others. Neighborhoods with nimby families have tried to keep… Read more »
The “streamlining” initiative that John Erickson proposed and is for discussion tomorrow has nothing to do with homeless housing, it’s a power grab by Council members to give the keys of the city to developers bypassing the democratic process of getting residents’ input on what gets built. The Council members are representing the interests of the developers who funded their campaigns. DISGUSTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The “streamlining” initiative that John Erickson has proposed is indeed for housing the homeless and alike,that’s why public insight is going crazy,because they’ll have less nimby power,against city hall and developers that want to build housing in west hollywood..! There’s a lot of abandoned buildings in west hollywood,that can be developed into housing,it’s just,nimby’s try to stand in the way with anti housing comments..! It’s better to have people housed rather than them sleeping and (rapping under people’s feet..Now that’s Disgusting..!
STOP TRYING TO CONFUSE THE ISSUE! ITEM 10A OF TOMORROW’S AGENDA ATTEMPTING TO “STREAMLINE” APPROVAL OF BUILDINGS UNDER 100 UNITS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HOMELESS. NOT ONE REFERENCE TO THEM. READ IT!!!!! IT’S A POWERGRAB TO ELIMINATE RESIDENT’S FEEDBACK. STOP TRYING TO CONFUSE US FOR DEVELOPERS BENEFIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CONFUSED..? That would be You..! As I said: ELIMINATING RESIDENT’S FEEDBACK,will allow DEVELOPERS to eventually build any type of housing in the future,including homeless housing..! Duh !
Just what I thought. You’re with the developers getting the key to the city so they build more UNAFFORDABLE homes. Weho’s presentation of their plans shows the cheapest unit to be $3,000 for a 500sq ft studio. That’s what you get when you’re bought by developers
No key ! Just supporting AFFORDABLE housing in Weho,and everywhere else,in California. Gavin Newsom already signed SB-79 into law,which will make a 500sq ft studio apartment cost less then $2,000,That’s what you get,when you override nimby,permits and regulations..!
I don’t know who you’re trying to fool. Developers are not chomping at the bit for WeHo Council to give them free rein in the city so they can build homeless housing. Developers’ only interest is to build more unaffordable homes for the rich. In the process, rent control buildings would be demolished, creating homelessness. I guess that’s what you’re rooting for
I don’t know who you’re trying to fool. Developers are on the same page with weho city Council to build affordable,and homeless housing.City council voted 4-1 to let Developers’ build more affordable homes for low income individuals,which will support rent control housing and alike,for the long term,that’s what i’am rooting for..!
When was the last time developers built affordable housing in west Hollywood? All they build is expensive units like the one on Beverly Blvd. Most expensive condos in all LA. Land is expensive on weho and developers will never buy land to build affordable homes. For Weho council a 500sq ft studio for $3000 is “affordable”. look around wake up or better stop trying to cover up the corruption from weho council members paying back developers for finding their campaigns
Wake up and stop trying to cover up the nimby corruption that has tried to keep affordable housing from being built in weho. I know people that have rent control,and section 8 housing in weho,so its not totally unheard of,it’ll just be on a larger scale,especially when SB 79 kicks in,but weho is exempt from SB79,thats why John Erickson has created his own campaign to build affordable housing in weho..!
John Erickson hasn’t mentioned the word AFFORDABLE once in his “big beautiful streamlining bill”. He’s in cahoots with developers so they build more UNAFFORDABLE homes in Weho and developers keep funding his political campaigns. Everyone knows it, including you so stop this disgusting charade that only serves developers
Google this ! ! ! 2025: John Erickson has been a leading advocate for streamlining affordable housing developments in West Hollywood,proposing reforms to accelerate residential construction and meet state-mandated housing goals..So stop with your dizzy headed disgusting charade that only serves nimby’s..!
Bye bye rent control buildings. :\
Slowly they want to turn Weho into Manhattan crime and all.