The AIA|LA 2025 Advocacy Platform: Designing a Better Los Angeles

AIA|LA champions critical reforms to create a more efficient, resilient, and equitable city. Our platform focuses on four priority areas:

1. Streamlining & Modernizing Development Services: Bureaucratic inefficiencies delay projects and increase costs, hindering housing production. We advocate for a permanent, cross-departmental “Expedited Review Unit” for public benefit projects and a citywide “Zoning Certainty” program to provide upfront confirmation of development rights. We call for expanding architect professional certification for low-risk projects, reforming key bottlenecks at LADWP and in accessibility reviews, and modernizing digital permitting infrastructure for true transparency and accountability.

2. Fostering Housing Affordability & Resilience: To address the housing crisis, we must leverage diverse talent and innovative design. We champion “Design-Driven Affordability” through streamlined approvals and advocate for expanding the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance and enacting Single-Stair Code Reform for “missing middle” housing. We support AEC workforce development for immigrant professionals, integrating international student talent, and promoting resilient, climate-responsive housing design.

3. Restoring Civic Center Functionality & Cohesion: Our Civic Center requires cohesive planning and revitalization. We urgently call to halt the demolition of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration and commission an independent seismic reassessment. We advocate for activating the Civic Center Authority to update the Master Plan, optimizing underutilized assets, and prioritizing public access, green space, and multi-modal connectivity.

4. Enhancing Equitable & Healthy Urban Design: Development must serve all communities equitably. We propose a citywide “Signature Events” framework to foster local vitality and integrate “Healthy Community Design” principles—like walkable spaces, street trees, and green infrastructure—into planning codes. We champion mandating design excellence for public infrastructure, expanding community-led participatory planning, and strategically planning for the permanent community use of the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic legacy permit streamlining infrastructure.

CLICK HERE to access the draft of the 2025 AIA|LA Advocacy Platform & share your comments!

WHAT IS ALL THE NOISE ABOUT???

A Summary of the Venice Dell Community Project & Current Impasse

The Venice Dell Community (also known as the Reese Davidson Community) is a fully entitled, mixed-use affordable housing development proposed for City-owned Parking Lot 731 at 200 North Venice Boulevard. A joint venture between Venice Community Housing and Hollywood Community Housing, the project includes 140 residential units (68 permanent supportive, 34 low-income, 34 artist/workforce), a community arts center, and a public parking structure. Despite securing City Council entitlements in 2021 and over $42 million in State funding, the project is stalled because the City refuses to execute the Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA).

The impasse has escalated into litigation: the non-profit developers sued to compel the City to honor its commitments, and the City Attorney is now requesting $850,000* in outside counsel funding to countersue, alleging the developers failed to build the very project the City is obstructing. This obstruction has triggered a formal inquiry from the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), warning that the City’s actions violate Housing Element law and risk the City’s “Prohousing Designation” and associated funding.

To complicate matters, the Board of Transportation Commissioners recently suggested moving the project to Lot 701—a suggestion made eight years after the initial RFP. This obstruction has triggered a formal inquiry from the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), warning of Housing Element violations.

Current discussions frame Lot 731 and Lot 701 as competing sites in a zero-sum game. However, the solution to the housing crisis is addition, not substitution. The impasse can be resolved by committing to the original objective (Venice Dell) on Lot 731 immediately, while simultaneously expanding City goals to develop additional housing on Lot 701.

*CLICK HERE to read the letter I sent to the City Council Budget & Financing Committee, sharing my opposition to the wasteful expenditure.

Beyond Scarcity—A “Win/Win/Win” Path for Housing in Venice

By Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA*

The City of Los Angeles stands at a defining crossroads regarding the Venice Dell Community. On one path lies a future of litigation, broken promises, and fewer homes for our unhoused neighbors. On the other path lies a “Win/Win/Win” solution that restores trust, saves taxpayer money, and maximizes our public assets to their fullest potential.

Currently, the City is treating the development of public land as a binary choice: build affordable housing on the fully entitled Lot 731 (Council File: 22-0496) or move the project to the proposed Lot 701 (Council File: 15-1138-S42). Given the scale of our housing and homelessness emergency, this is a false dilemma rooted in a scarcity mindset. To achieve true fiscal responsibility and housing justice, the City must reject “either/or” thinking and embrace an abundance strategy: Commit to the original objective on Lot 731 and expand objectives to include Lot 701.

The High Cost of Broken Promises: The City must honor its original commitment to build Venice Dell on Lot 731. Reneging on a project awarded through a competitive RFP process nearly a decade ago sends a devastating, chilling signal to the broader development community. If the City discards valid contracts and entitlements after years of investment, reputable non-profit developers will view Los Angeles as an unsafe partner. They will refuse to participate in future RFPs, fearing their capital and time will be wasted by arbitrary political reversals. This “chilling effect” will cripple our ability to leverage public land for the public good, stalling the housing pipeline for years to come.

Fiscal Prudence vs. Wasteful Litigation: Continued obstruction is not only legally perilous; it is fiscally irresponsible. Los Angeles faces an ongoing budget deficit, yet the City Attorney is requesting an additional $850,000—on top of millions already spent—to litigate against its own partners. It is unconscionable to use taxpayer money to fund a countersuit against non-profits for “failing to perform” when the City itself is the obstacle preventing performance.

Instead of burning cash on lawsuits and risking the loss of $42 million in State funding already secured for Venice Dell, the City should finalize the Disposition and Development Agreement (DDA). This course correction avoids State penalties, protects the City’s “Prohousing Designation,” and secures vital outside investment.

The “Win/Win/Win” Solution: The Board of Transportation Commissioners has identified Lot 701 as a viable site. We should not use Lot 701 as an excuse to kill the Venice Dell project on Lot 731. Instead, we should view this as an opportunity to double our ambition.

Win 1: Build the entitled, funded 140 units on Lot 731 immediately.

Win 2: Immediately initiate a new RFP process to build additional housing on Lot 701.

Win 3: The City doubles its impact, housing hundreds more Angelenos, while avoiding legal sanctions & costly unnecessary litigation.

Venice Dell represents the “gold standard” of affordable development: permanent supportive housing in a coastal zone where exclusion has been the historical norm. To kill this project is a violation of the City’s promise to Affirmatively Further Fair Housing (AFFH). We do not need to choose between sites. We need to choose housing. By building on both, the City transforms a political stalemate into a victory for housing production, fiscal responsibility, and community compassion.

AIA|LA Recommendations for Improving LADWP Development Services

AIA Los Angeles recognizes LADWP’s essential role in shaping our city’s built environment. To effectively address Los Angeles’s housing crisis and climate challenges, we urge LADWP to prioritize enhanced clarity, transparency, and streamlined processes. We recommend focusing on the following key areas to significantly improve development services:

Priority 1: Enacting Transparent & Consistent Design Standards

Goal: Eliminate ambiguity and ensure predictability in LADWP’s technical requirements to support efficient and compliant project design.

Recommendations:

1. Immediate & Formal Publication of All New Standards: LADWP must immediately publish and widely disseminate detailed, formal documentation for all new or revised requirements, particularly for transformer pad staging and 12kV customer stations. This information must be readily accessible on the LADWP website, not communicated anecdotally.
2. Ensure SB 330 Compliance for All Requirements: Conduct a comprehensive review of all new and existing subjective design requirements to ensure full compliance with SB 330, which prohibits new subjective standards that reduce housing development feasibility. Any requirements impacting housing must be objectively justified and publicly vetted.
3. Implement Flexible Staging Area Design Standards:
   • Re-evaluate “Clear to Sky”: Explore alternatives to the strict “clear to sky” requirement for staging, such as allowing working clearance within the public right-of-way (similar to San Diego’s model), to enable development on small, constrained infill parcels.
   • Restore Alley Staging Feasibility: Reconsider the increased 22’x42′ minimum staging area. Maintain dimensions that allow for practical staging in existing 20′ alleys, which are critical for dense urban development.
4. Proactive Standard Development for Evolving Infrastructure: Immediately publish clear, comprehensive design standards, room dimensions, and specific requirements for 12kV customer stations, acknowledging the phase-out of 4.8kV circuits. This provides developers with the necessary information for current and future projects.
5. Explore Innovative On-Site Shielding Solutions: Investigate and implement the use of temporary shielding for high-voltage primary wires during transformer installations (e.g., orange sleeve shields). This could significantly increase flexibility for transformer placement and staging, reducing design constraints.

Priority 2: Achieving Operational Efficiency & Accountability

Goal: Reduce project delays and cost overruns by improving LADWP’s internal processes and service delivery timelines.

Recommendations:

1. Publicly Articulate Processing Timelines & Improvement Plan: LADWP should publicly identify the root causes of lengthy processing times (e.g., staffing levels, workflow inefficiencies) and present a concrete, time-bound plan to rectify these issues. This plan should include measurable targets for reduced review times.
2. Comprehensive Contact Information Portal: Create and regularly update a comprehensive, publicly accessible online contact list. This portal should clearly list phone numbers and email addresses for key personnel across various LADWP services and departments, facilitating direct and efficient communication.
3. Implement a Dedicated Development Community Liaison Program: Establish a dedicated liaison or team within LADWP specifically focused on the development community. This specialized unit would streamline communication, provide consistent guideline clarification, and expedite complex project issues.
4. Standardize & Digitize Submission & Tracking Processes: Modernize and fully digitize all submission and tracking processes for development-related applications. This includes implementing a robust online portal that allows applicants to track progress in real-time and receive automated updates.
5. Conduct Regular Stakeholder Feedback & Performance Reviews: Establish a formal, recurring mechanism for collecting feedback from the architectural and development community regarding LADWP’s services. Use this feedback, alongside internal metrics, to conduct transparent performance reviews and drive continuous improvement.

Priority 3: Ensuring Financial Predictability & Ratepayer Transparency

Goal: Provide clear, timely financial information to allow developers, residents, and businesses to plan effectively.

Recommendations:

1. Timely & Detailed Rate Increase Communication: Provide timely, detailed, and easily understandable information on any anticipated rate increases. This should include projected percentages, reasoning, and effective dates, communicated well in advance to allow for sound financial planning.
2. Impact Analysis for New Requirements: For any significant new technical or procedural requirements, LADWP should provide an accompanying impact analysis on project costs and timelines, fostering transparency about potential financial burdens on ratepayers and developers.
3. Streamline Cost Estimation & Invoicing: Improve the clarity and predictability of LADWP’s cost estimation processes for development services, ensuring that initial estimates are accurate and final invoices align with transparent fee schedules.
4. Grandfathering Clause for Existing Projects: Implement a clear and consistently applied policy to grandfather in projects that have already received approved LADWP plans or are substantially into construction, protecting against retroactive application of new requirements that would cause undue financial burdens.
5. Explore Innovative Financing & Incentive Programs: Collaborate with the City and development community to explore innovative financing mechanisms or incentive programs that can offset the costs of necessary utility upgrades, especially for affordable housing or sustainable development initiatives.

Call for Entries: Innovate with the Santa Monica Mass Timber Accelerator

AIA|LA is delighted to officially partner with the City of Santa Monica on an exciting new initiative: The Santa Monica Mass Timber Accelerator.

As architects and designers, we constantly seek methods that marry aesthetic beauty with environmental responsibility. Santa Monica has long held a reputation as a regional leader in sustainability and innovation. Now, through the Mass Timber Accelerator, we have a unique opportunity to advance the City’s built environment by exploring the potential of high-strength, prefabricated wood products.

Why Participate? Southern California is poised to become a significant market for mass timber, yet widespread adoption requires pioneers willing to demonstrate its feasibility. This program creates a structured pathway for design teams to lead that charge. Mass timber offers tangible benefits to the building sector, including:

• Speed & Efficiency: Faster on-site assembly compared to traditional concrete and steel, leading to potential cost savings.
• Sustainability: A significant reduction in embodied carbon emissions, aligning with our urgent climate goals.
• Design Excellence: The creation of warm, biophilic environments featuring beautiful, exposed wood aesthetics.

Program Details & Support Part of the broader Accelerator Cities Program—co-funded by the Softwood Lumber Board and the USDA Forest Service—this initiative is designed to de-risk the adoption of new systems.

The program will competitively select up to five private development projects to receive funding and technical assistance. Selected teams will not be working alone; participants will receive expert guidance from WoodWorks regarding structural design, fire resistance, code compliance, and detailing. This is a rare opportunity to receive financial backing and high-level technical consulting to bring a mass timber project to life.

How to Apply: We invite all eligible design and development teams to apply. Whether you are looking to assess workforce capacity, explore Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) feasibility, or simply create the next landmark sustainable project in Santa Monica, we want to see your vision.

Key Deadline: Applications are due to the Office of Sustainability & the Environment by February 27th, 2026, at 11:59 PM.

Selected teams will be notified by mid-March 2026. Join us in shaping a more sustainable, efficient, and beautiful future for Santa Monica.

Download the Santa Monica Mass Timber Accelerator Application Guide Here

FROM AIA CALIFORNIA

A Year of Impact: Key Advocacy Achievements Shaping California’s Built Environment

By Scott Terrell – Director of Government Relations, AIA California

11.19.25
Advocacy Update:  A Year of Impact

AIA California’s 2025 advocacy efforts delivered major progress for the profession—strengthening the licensure pipeline, protecting project delivery, advancing housing and climate priorities, and supporting firms through key practice initiatives. These accomplishments reflect the coordinated leadership of AIA California members, committees, and statewide partners, who are committed to improving the built environment.

The year’s signature victory was the passage of AB 759 (Valencia), establishing the new “Architect-in-Training (AIT)” title for individuals formally pursuing licensure. Beginning January 1, 2027, candidates identified by the California Architects Board who have passed at least one ARE division and work under a licensed architect may apply for the designation. Usable for four years—with a possible four-year extension—AIT aligns architecture with engineering and land surveying, strengthens public understanding of the licensure pathway, and supports retention and diversity. This achievement follows nearly a decade of advocacy by AIA California and the Academy for Emerging Professionals.

AIA California also secured a significant project-delivery win through amendments to AB 339 (Ortega). As introduced, the bill would have imposed 60-day notice and negotiation requirements on most local contracting decisions, delaying planning and design work. After sustained coalition advocacy, architects, engineers, and related design services were fully exempted, protecting timely project delivery and the Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) process.

Additional legislative priorities advanced, including AB 507 (adaptive reuse), AB 39 (local electrification planning), SB 79 (transit-oriented development), and AB 253 (private plan review). AIA California also helped advance key disaster-recovery measures and continued work on AB 1265 (Historic Tax Credit) and AB 368 (Passive House Standards), the latter now signed into law.

AIA California played a major role in statewide policy development through the AB 529 Adaptive Reuse Working Group, submitting more than three dozen technical proposals—over half statewide—and extensive comments on HCD’s draft report.

Climate leadership remained central, with AIA California advancing embodied-carbon code implementation, engaging in CALGreen modernization, contributing to the CALGreen Carbon Reduction Collaborative, and helping shape updates to the California Existing Building Code.

AIA California also elevated professional protections through its Duty to Defend initiative. In response to continued misuse of defense-obligation clauses, AIA CA developed a letter firms may submit to clients—or request AIA California submit on their behalf—along with talking points and a webinar now available on the website.

These achievements underscore AIA California’s leadership in advancing a resilient, sustainable, and equitable future for architects and the communities they serve.

CLICK HERE to read in full.

The Future of Los Angeles: Powered By Design

Want to help us shape the 2025 AIA|LA Advocacy Platform?

We welcome your comments. Kindly review the draft below and help us improve this platform with greater precision, expertise, and recommendations that will deliver achievable results to improve our city.

Please share your comments with me at Will{@}aialosangeles.org

All feedback is welcome!  You can also add your EDITS HERE on this google doc.

###DRAFT ###

The AIA|LA 2025 Advocacy Platform: Priority Issues & Recommendations (DRAFT)

The American Institute of Architects, Los Angeles Chapter (AIA|LA), through its 2025 Advocacy Platform, will champion critical reforms to enhance Los Angeles’s built environment. Our focus is on creating a city that is more efficient in its development services, more resilient and affordable in its housing, more functional in its governance, and more thoughtfully designed in its civic spaces.

Priority Issue 1: Streamlining & Modernizing Development Services Citywide

Challenge: The City of Los Angeles’s development services are plagued by inefficiencies, bureaucratic hurdles, and a lack of transparency, significantly delaying projects and increasing costs for all types of development, including much-needed housing. While the 2028 Olympic & Paralympic streamlining is a necessary measure, its lessons must be applied universally.

Recommendations:

Establish a Permanent, Cross-Departmental “Expedited Review Unit” (ERU): Formalize and expand the proposed LADBS dedicated Olympic unit into a standing, inter-departmental ERU. This unit would serve as a single point of contact and coordination for all projects meeting defined public benefit criteria (e.g., affordable housing, sustainable infrastructure, community facilities), not just projects directly related to the Olympics & Paralympics.

Implement a Citywide “Zoning Certainty” Program: Mandate a preliminary, expedited zoning confirmation process for all projects, providing architects and developers with written confirmation of development rights before significant design and engineering work begins. This reduces upfront risk, costs, and project delays.

Advance Architect Professional-Certification for Low-Risk Projects: Leverage the experience from Olympic temporary use exemptions to pilot and rapidly expand a robust architect professional-certification program for specified low-risk tenant improvements and minor alterations, thereby reducing City Plan Check workload and expediting project delivery.

Integrate and Modernize Digital Permitting Infrastructure: Capitalize on any IT infrastructure upgrades spurred by the 2028 Games to achieve true inter-departmental system integration. A unified, transparent e-permitting portal accessible to all stakeholders is essential to eliminate bottlenecks across the “10 other departments.”

Develop Objective, Transparent Metrics for Review Performance: Establish clear, publicly accessible service level agreements (SLAs) for review times across all City departments involved in development. Regularly publish performance data and hold departments accountable for meeting these targets to drive continuous improvement.

Priority Issue 2: Fostering Housing Affordability & Resilience Through Diverse Talent

Challenge: Los Angeles faces an acute housing crisis, exacerbated by a complex development process and a workforce that is not fully leveraged. Immigrants and international students are crucial to both the economic vitality of the AEC industry and the diversity of thought needed for innovative housing solutions.

Recommendations:

Champion “Design-Driven Affordability” via Streamlined Approvals: Advocate for expanding objective design standards and streamlining administrative approvals for affordable housing projects, including incentives for projects that integrate sustainable design and community-serving ground-floor uses.

Invest in AEC Workforce Development & Immigrant Integration Programs: Support initiatives that provide mentorship, upskilling, and pathways to licensure for immigrant architects and skilled tradespeople (e.g., expanding programs like the Immigrant Architect Coalition’s mentorship and scholarship initiatives). This is crucial given that the construction industry could face a nearly 16% GDP contraction without immigrant labor.

Leverage International Student Talent for LA’s Future: Advocate for policies and programs that better integrate international architecture and design students into the local workforce post-graduation, recognizing their role in driving innovation (over half pursue STEM fields) and enriching design perspectives.

Promote Resilient, Culturally Responsive Housing Design: Encourage the adoption of design guidelines and funding mechanisms that prioritize resilient building practices and culturally sensitive design for new housing, particularly for communities vulnerable to climate change, drawing on the inherent resilience and diverse perspectives of LA’s immigrant population.

Advocate for Immigration Policy Reform at the Federal Level: Partner with AIA National and other organizations to advocate for federal immigration policies that create more stable and predictable pathways for skilled architects, engineers, and construction workers (e.g., reforms to H1-B visas, expanded access to EB-2 NIW, O-1, and L-1 visas), ensuring a robust talent pipeline for housing delivery.

Priority Issue 3: Restoring Civic Center Functionality & Cohesion

Challenge: The Los Angeles Civic Center, a critical nexus of governance, suffers from deferred maintenance, underutilized assets, and a lack of cohesive planning, exemplified by the threat to the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration. This fragmentation hinders public service and undermines civic identity.

Recommendations:

Halt Demolition of Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration (HOA) & Commission Independent Reassessment: Strongly advocate for an immediate pause on all demolition plans for the HOA. Demand an independent, objective, and transparent reassessment of its seismic safety and rehabilitation costs, exploring all viable, less expensive retrofit alternatives (e.g., shear walls, diagonal bracing) and prioritizing its retention as a public-facing government asset.

Activate the Los Angeles Civic Center Authority for Master Plan Update: Leverage the existing “Civic Center Authority” (LAAC Chapter 2) to convene a multi-jurisdictional task force. This task force, with strong representation from the architecture and design community, should be directed to conduct a comprehensive study and recommend a holistic update to the Civic Center Master Plan.

Conduct a Comprehensive Civic Center Asset Optimization Study: Commission a study to identify and strategize the adaptive reuse, revitalization, or optimal development of existing federal, state, county, city, and private-sector holdings within the Civic Center. This includes addressing “missing teeth” like the Parker Center replacement site, Civic Center Mall, First and Broadway lot, and underutilized surface parking lots.

Prioritize Public Access, Green Space & Multi-Modal Connectivity: The Civic Center Master Plan update must prioritize enhanced public access, expansion and integration of green spaces (like Grand Park), and improved multi-modal transportation connectivity, fostering a more vibrant, pedestrian-friendly, and accessible public realm.

Establish a Civic Center Design Review Panel: Create a standing, independent design review panel, comprised of leading architects, urban designers, and community representatives, to provide expert oversight and ensure high-quality, cohesive design for all future development and renovation projects within the Civic Center.

Priority Issue 4: Enhancing Equitable & Healthy Urban Design Across LA

Challenge: Los Angeles’s urban fabric often lacks equitable access to quality design, green space, and infrastructure, leading to disparities in health and economic opportunity. Development, while essential, must be guided by principles that ensure it serves all communities.

Recommendations:

Develop a “Signature Events” Framework for All Neighborhoods: Implement a citywide program, inspired by Santa Monica’s model, that streamlines permitting, waives fees, and provides priority support for qualifying community events (e.g., those benefiting non-profits, free to the public, supporting local businesses) across all LA neighborhoods to foster local identity and economic vitality.

Integrate “Healthy Community Design” into Planning Codes: Advocate for the revision of zoning and planning codes to explicitly incorporate principles of healthy community design, promoting walkable neighborhoods, access to fresh food, public art, and green infrastructure in all new developments and significant renovations.

Mandate Design Excellence for Public Infrastructure Projects: Champion policies that require higher standards of architectural and urban design for all public infrastructure projects (transit, parks, public buildings), ensuring they contribute positively to the aesthetic, functional, and social fabric of their surrounding communities.

Expand Community Design Workshops & Participatory Planning: Fund and promote community design workshops and participatory planning processes that actively engage diverse local residents, especially in underserved communities, in shaping the design outcomes of projects affecting their neighborhoods, ensuring equitable and culturally resonant urban development.

Utilize 2028 Legacy Infrastructure for Broader Community Benefit: Strategically plan for the post-2028 Games conversion and adaptive reuse of temporary Olympic infrastructure, ensuring these assets transition smoothly into permanent community facilities, public spaces, or affordable housing, rather than being dismantled without lasting benefit.

### DRAFT ###

The AIA LA & LACP Professional Volunteer Program (PVP)

Architects & designers passionate about improving the design quality of newly proposed projects throughout the City of Los Angeles are encouraged to participate in the Professional Volunteer Program (PVP), which is a collaborative design review program organized by AIA LA & Los Angeles City Planning (LACP)’s Urban Design Studio.

This year, we will be coordinating thirty-one virtual design review sessions, which will serve as opportunities for architects and designers to help the Los Angeles City Planning’s Urban Design Studio critically review upcoming projects throughout our City.

Nov 18 (10am)

Dec 2 (10am)

Dec 9 (10am)

RSVP HERE (virtual on zoom)

Design Review Sessions w/ LACP Urban Design Studio 2025

UNPLAN LA_Transitional Height

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Will Wright, Hon. AIA|LA
Director, Government & Public Affairs
t: 213.639.0764
e: will@aialosangeles.org
www.aialosangeles.org

*Disclaimer: The advice and perspectives shared here belong to the author and should not be considered official recommendations from AIA Los Angeles.