New California Law Supports Adaptive Reuse

AB 2243 paves the way for easier conversion of industrially and commercially zones properties for residential development.

2 minute read

October 17, 2024, 11:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Aerial view of large construction site and vacant, graded lot next to public housing buildings in Watts, Los Angeles, California.

Matt Gush / Adobe Stock

In an analysis for The National Law Review, Brooke Miller outlines the potential impacts of California Assembly Bill 2243, which was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom last month.

The law expands the type of sites eligible for expedited approvals, adding regional mall properties of up to 100 acres that could help make larger multifamily developments with affordability requirements more financially feasible. The law also allows development within 500 feet of a freeway (previously prohibited), provided that the development takes steps to improve air quality.  

According to Miller, “AB 2243 also provides some relief from the strict minimum density requirements of AB 2011, instead designating the “allowable” density- but still requires projects to meet at least 50% of the allowable density (75% for sites within ½ mile of an existing rail or bus rapid transit station) through 2026; after January 1, 2027, 75% is the minimum.”

AB 2243 also addresses a provision that usually requires developers to add common open space to new residential development, recognizing that the physical limitations of a site can make meeting that requirement challenging. “For both conversion and redevelopment projects, AB 2243 also limits mitigation fees to the incremental impact of the development, in recognition that the existing use likely already contributed to mitigating some development impacts.”

AB 2243 adds more qualifying “surrounding urban uses” to free up more sites for housing development. “AB 2243 also takes aim at AB 2011’s exclusion for sites in a “neighborhood plan”, which can work against a project in an outdated community plan area or a jurisdiction with few areas outside such planning boundaries.”

Monday, October 14, 2024 in The National Law Review

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Looking out at trees on 4th Street in downtown Los Angeles, California.

LA’s Tree Emergency Goes Beyond Vandalism

After a vandal destroyed dozens of downtown LA trees, Mayor Karen Bass vowed to replace them. Days later, she slashed the city’s tree budget.

April 23 - Torched

White and blue Sacramento regional transit bus with one bike on front bike rack.

Sacramento Leads Nation With Bus-Mounted Bike Lane Enforcement Cameras

The city is the first to use its bus-mounted traffic enforcement system to cite drivers who park or drive in bike lanes.

April 23 - Streetsblog California

View of downtown Seattle with Space Needle and mountains in background

Seattle Voters Approve Social Housing Referendum

Voters approved a corporate tax to fund the city’s housing authority despite an opposition campaign funded by Amazon and Microsoft.

April 23 - Next City