From Months to Weeks: How Executive Directive 1 is Accelerating Affordable Housing in LA
In the world of affordable housing development, time is the most valuable and often most challenging commodity. For years, even the most vital 100% affordable housing projects could get stuck in a bureaucratic logjam, taking many months or even years to navigate the city’s permitting process. This slow pace not only delayed the delivery of desperately needed homes but also drove up project costs, making some projects financially unfeasible.
In 2022, the City of Los Angeles introduced a game-changing tool to break this gridlock: Executive Directive 1 (ED1).
At Xtraunit, we have seen firsthand how this powerful directive is transforming the landscape for affordable housing. For developers, understanding and leveraging ED1 is the key to getting projects built faster and more efficiently than ever before.
What is Executive Directive 1?
Executive Directive 1 is a mandate signed by the Mayor of Los Angeles with a clear and urgent mission: to radically shorten the approval timeline for 100% affordable housing projects and temporary homeless shelters.
It achieves this by fundamentally reclassifying how these projects are processed. Instead of being treated as discretionary actions that require public hearings and are subject to lengthy appeals, qualifying ED1 projects are processed ministerially, or “by-right.” If a project meets the objective standards laid out in the code, the city’s review is streamlined to ensure it happens on an expedited timeline.
The Key Mechanisms of Acceleration
ED1 isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a set of binding instructions for city departments. Here’s how it creates speed:
- Guaranteed Timelines: ED1 mandates that city departments complete their reviews of qualifying projects within 60 days. This is a dramatic reduction from the unpredictable, open-ended timelines of the past.
- Concurrent Departmental Review: Previously, a project’s plans would move sequentially from one department to the next (e.g., from Planning to Building & Safety to Public Works). ED1 requires these departments to review the plans concurrently. This parallel processing eliminates months of “dead time” where a project is simply waiting in a queue.
- Dedicated Case Management: The city assigns dedicated case managers to shepherd ED1 projects through the system. This creates a single point of contact and accountability, helping to resolve inter-departmental conflicts and keep the project moving forward.
Which Projects Qualify for ED1?
The directive is laser-focused on the most critical housing needs. To qualify, a project must be:
- 100% Affordable: All residential units must be covenanted as affordable for households earning at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
- Supportive Housing: Projects that combine housing with on-site supportive services for residents experiencing homelessness are also eligible.
- Shelters: Interim housing facilities, such as homeless shelters, also qualify for this expedited processing.
The Xtraunit Advantage: Turning Speed into Certainty
The 60-day clock of ED1 is a powerful incentive, but it comes with a condition: the clock only works if the plans submitted are complete, coordinated, and compliant. A sloppy or incomplete submittal will be rejected, negating the entire time advantage.
This is where Xtraunit’s design-build model becomes a developer’s most valuable asset.
- RTI-Ready Submittals: Our in-house architectural, structural, and engineering teams work as one to produce a fully integrated and coordinated set of plans. We know what LADBS and other departments need to see, and we deliver a “Ready-To-Issue” (RTI) quality submittal from day one, ensuring you can take full advantage of the 60-day window.
- Expert Navigation: We handle the entire submittal and follow-up process. We know who to call, what forms to file, and how to present the project to ensure it meets all ED1 eligibility requirements.
- Seamless Transition to Construction: Because our design and construction teams are integrated, there is no lag time. The moment the ED1-accelerated permit is in hand, our construction team is ready to mobilize and break ground. This seamless transition from permitting to building is the ultimate form of acceleration.
Executive Directive 1 has opened the door to a new era of affordable housing development in Los Angeles. Partnering with a team that has the expertise to run through that door at full speed is essential.
Ready to Fast-Track Your Next Affordable Housing Project?
Contact us to discuss how we can leverage Executive Directive 1 and our design-build process to bring your project to life in record time.