The Livable Communities Initiative (LCI) is a 501(c)(3) organization that researches, educates, and aims to implement a plan that addresses our severe housing, climate, and traffic crisis with urgency. The LCI plan encourages the creation of 100% affordable, mixed-income and naturally affordable mixed-use housing along a specific untapped resource – the abundance of underdeveloped, smaller lots along our existing commercial streets located near quality transit. Our goal is the creation of inclusive, bustling, carlight “15-minute” communities.
Our mission
How we achieve our mission
The LCI strategy is one of incentivization. We work to encourage the development of new parking-free developments, update how we measure density on small site development, expand and/or implement onsite inclusionary covenanted affordable housing programs, and modify development standards to achieve mindful building intensities for neighborhood commercial boulevards.
Additional components of the LCI plan incentivize the production of 3 to 5-story, mid-rise housing above commercial businesses and the development of walkable, bikeable streets so that more workers and residents can affordably live near Los Angeles’s abundant jobs and community amenities without a car on site.
Through a targeted set of updates and amendments to development standards, zoning, permitting, and building codes, LCI empowers current and future owners of these lots to access a development opportunity that adds housing in Los Angeles where none currently exists.
Our vision
Housing units within LCI developments will be designed with the intention of providing optimum comfort to residents in a courtyard-style building. All designs incorporate cross ventilation, an abundance of natural light, and green open space for a harmonious connection to nature.
The transformation of this abundant lot type into accessible, inclusive housing will help Los Angeles meet its state-mandated affordable housing targets and RHNA goals, will bring existing code conflicts into line with newly adopted state law, and will democratize development, opening it up to small commercial property owners and small “mom and pop” builders.
In addition, these changes can help increase ridership of Los Angeles’s existing transit and future phases of the City’s 2035 Mobility transit plan. LCI aims to reduce car traffic and Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) typically associated with densification. It will also create healthy, walkable neighborhoods with safe micro-mobility options and access to transit.
Lastly, when tied in with existing renter protections, LCI can ensure a safe and stable housing base for the community.