Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department

Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department
Name	Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department
Formed	1999
Preceding1	Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles
Jurisdiction	City of Los Angeles
Headquarters	1200 West 7th Street, Los Angeles, California
Chief1 name	Marissa Aho
Chief1 position	General Manager
Parent department	City of Los Angeles

Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department

The Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department administers municipal housing development, affordable housing finance, and community investment programs in the City of Los Angeles. It manages housing preservation, rental assistance, homelessness prevention, and land-use incentives through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, private developers, and state and federal agencies such as the California Department of Housing and Community Development, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, and California Debt Limit Allocation Committee.

Overview

The department consolidates functions historically divided among the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, and City of Los Angeles offices to streamline affordable housing production and community revitalization. It implements policy directives from the Los Angeles City Council, collaborates with the Mayor of Los Angeles's office, and aligns programs with regional bodies including the Southern California Association of Governments, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, and Los Angeles County Homelessness Authority. Operational units coordinate with federal programs like the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Community Development Block Grant, and tax-credit programs administered by the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee.

History

The department's formation followed the dissolution of the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles after litigation involving the California Supreme Court and state legislation such as the Dissolution Statute; responsibilities were restructured under city ordinances enacted by the Los Angeles City Council and signed by successive Mayor of Los Angeles administrations. Historic precedents include redevelopment projects tied to the Bradbury Building, the Broadway Theatre District, and transit-oriented developments adjacent to the B Line and A Line. Key legal and policy milestones intersect with cases and statutes like California Redevelopment Law, bond measures such as Proposition 1C (2006), and federal initiatives during the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Responsibilities and Programs

The department administers: - Affordable housing production through low-income housing tax credits allocated by the Internal Revenue Service, and tax-exempt bonds coordinated with the United States Department of the Treasury. - Homelessness response programs funded by the Los Angeles County Measure H, the California Homeless Emergency Aid Program, and federal Emergency Solutions Grants. - Rent stabilization and tenant protection coordination with the Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance and the Los Angeles City Attorney's office. - Preservation of naturally occurring affordable housing (NOAH) and mobilehome park protections working with the California Mobilehome Residency Law advocates and organizations like the Coalition for Economic Survival. - Community investment initiatives aligned with the Los Angeles Unified School District joint-use projects, neighborhood parks improvements with the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, and transit-related development with Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Organizational Structure

Leadership reports to the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles City Council's Housing Committee. Divisions include Housing Development, Community Investment, Preservation and Tenant Protections, Homelessness and Supportive Housing, and Finance and Grants. The department coordinates with agencies and institutions such as the Los Angeles Housing Authority, the Los Angeles County Development Authority, the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office on workforce housing programs, and nonprofit partners including LA Family Housing, Skid Row Housing Trust, Mercy Housing, and Enterprise Community Partners.

Funding and Budget

Funding sources combine municipal general fund allocations approved by the Los Angeles City Council, voter-approved bond measures (e.g., municipal bonds similar to past housing bonds), federal grants from United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, state funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development, tax credit equity from the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, and private capital from community development financial institutions such as Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Budget cycles reflect mayoral proposals and council modifications, and are subject to audits by the City Controller of Los Angeles and oversight by the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission regarding contracting and campaign finance intersections.

Major Projects and Initiatives

Notable initiatives include preservation and production projects near transit hubs such as the Union Station (Los Angeles), South Los Angeles corridor projects intersecting with the E Line, supportive housing projects in Skid Row, Los Angeles, and neighborhood revitalization in areas like Historic Filipinotown and Leimert Park. Collaborative efforts include transit-oriented development with Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, modular housing pilots inspired by programs in San Diego, and adaptive reuse incentives akin to projects in the Arts District, Los Angeles and Downtown Los Angeles.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques have focused on program delays, allocation of housing versus services debated at Los Angeles City Council hearings, controversies over developer selection and developer-community conflicts seen in meetings involving the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council system, and disputes about displacement tied to gentrification in neighborhoods like Echo Park and Highland Park, Los Angeles. Legal challenges have invoked litigation involving tenant groups, advocacy organizations such as the LA Tenants Union, and occasional scrutiny by the Los Angeles County District Attorney and state authorities over contract and procurement practices.

Category:Housing in Los Angeles Category:Government of Los Angeles