To Sprawl Or Not To Sprawl?

The Los Angeles region is at a crossroads – sprawl has hit the wall. Our past pattern of suburban development is no longer sustainable. Building another freeway to reach new suburban housing tracts in the high desert is not the answer, but we have not yet adopted a new, smarter way of growing. Housing development has not kept pace with population growth. The result is a housing shortage with no end in sight to rising rents, rising home prices and falling vacancy rates.

Understanding that building more freeways is not the answer to traffic congestion, we have made a large public investment in rail lines and improving bus service. Between the Metro (Red, Green, Blue and Gold Lines), Metro Link and the proposed Expo Line, Los Angeles County has over 100 rail stations. However, we have not revitalized the neighborhoods around these stops by building the new homes we so desperately need.

Livable Places supports smart growth development within a half mile of rail stations and major bus lines in Los Angeles County. Our working definition of smart growth includes creating pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods with enough residences affordable to people of various incomes to support vibrant mixed-use commercial areas. Livable Places’ own developments employ high quality compact designs and green building practices, recycling underutilized industrial land and other innovative land use strategies.

Livable Places’ policy work involves:

• Community education around creating livable places in Los Angeles County;

• Community participation in land use planning within a half-mile of rail stations and major bus lines;
• Removing barriers to smart growth by improving local zoning and building codes.