LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday approved the first draft of an update to the Boyle Heights Community Plan, including a wide range of affordable-housing and resident-protection safeguards for the historic working- class neighborhood.

What You Need To Know

  • The LA City Council approved the first draft of the Boyle Heights Community Plan

  • The plan includes a wide range of affordable-housing and resident protection safeguard

  • The plan outlines a long-term vision and guides planning and land-use management

  • The plan as amended will be returned to the city's Planning Commission for review

The council voted 14-0 in favor of the plan, which outlines a long- term vision and guides planning and land-use management.

Councilman Kevin de León, who represents the 14th District, which includes Boyle Heights, said he worked to ensure protections against gentrification.

"I stand firm with my community in our shared commitment to defend Boyle Heights from the tide of gentrification that is destroying communities through displacement and the erasure of cultural heritage," de León said in a statement.

"Too often our efforts to protect residents and businesses are reactive and come only after the damage is done."

The plan will bring forward "intentional" statutory measures that "expand affordable housing, deliver the most inclusionary housing in the city, and prioritize the needs of residents and businesses," the councilman said.

Key features of the plan include:

  • expansion of affordable housing options;
  • increasing the percentage of affordable units for new housing developments;
  • providing displaced residents the first right to return;
  • introducing a Local Preference Plan that prioritizes individuals and families who currently reside in Boyle Heights or have been displaced from the neighborhood;
  • mandating that 60% of new housing units in 100% affordable housing projects consist of at least two bedrooms to ensure multi-generational families have a place in the community;
  • proposing measures such as a vacancy tax, limitations on rent hikes for commercial properties, tax incentives for landlords who retain local legacy businesses in their properties and ensuring new commercial developments have shop sizes consistent with local small businesses; and
  • making provisions to create more youth education and social services facilities.

According to de León's office, the plan as amended will be returned to the city's Planning Commission for review. It would then go back to City Council for final approval, which his office said can be done as soon as next month.