Analysis: Residential permitting down 18.9% in Los Angeles in first half of 2024

By Steven Sharp (July 18, 2024)

• “Throughout the City of Los Angeles, 5,208 residential units were permitted through the first half of 2024,” writes Joshua Baum of Hilgard Analytics and Samuel Maury‑Holmes of Zenith Economics.

• This represents a decline of 18.9%, or 1,216 fewer units, compared to the same period in 2023. Facebook+9Urbanize LA+9The Real Deal+9

• The drop builds on a trend from 2023, when residential permitting was down 5.3% compared to the prior year. Urbanize LA+1The Real Deal+1

The authors also examined Mayor’s Executive Directive 1 (ED1) — designed to expedite 100 percent affordable housing projects:

• Over the past two years, more than 10,000 residential units have been approved under ED1.

• However, only 588 ED1 units were permitted during the first half of 2024, up from 84 units in the first half of 2023. Urbanize LA+3Urbanize LA+3The Real Deal+3

• They identified 25 ED1-approved projects that had active permits for demolition or grading, key steps before final construction permits. Urbanize LA+1The Real Deal+1

Regional and district-level trends:

• The largest decreases in permitting were seen in City Council Districts 1, 4, 10, 13, and 15.

• In contrast, Districts 3, 6, 7, and 12—largely in the San Fernando Valley—experienced upticks. Urbanize LA+7Urbanize LA+7Urbanize LA+7