Senate Bill 9

Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), the California Housing Opportunity and More Efficiency (HOME) Act, is a California state law that aims to alleviate the housing crisis facing cities across California by providing new ways to increase housing supply and diversify the types of housing available.

Key Components of SB 9

Urban Lot Split
Provides a streamlined process for subdividing an existing single-family zoned lot into two new parcels, also known as an Urban Lot Split

Two Unit Developments
Provides a streamlined process for creating Two Unit Developments on single-family zoned lots

Both of the above streamlined processes are subject to specific eligibility criteria. The best way to assess whether a parcel is eligible for SB 9 is to use City Planning's Zone Information and Map Access System (ZIMAS) tool. Enter the address in the pop-up window, click the "Planning and Zoning" menu on the left side of the screen, and scroll down to the "SB 9 Eligibility" line. Click the adjacent link to display the Eligibility Criteria Checklist, which will indicate whether the site is eligible for SB 9.

NOTE: Two Unit Developments are processed by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) through a building permit application, while Urban Lot Split applications are processed by City Planning.

For planning-related inquiries, you may email planning.SB9@lacity.org.

 

Key Information

Keep the following things in mind if you plan to use SB 9 in Los Angeles. Email planning-related questions to planning.SB9@lacity.org.

  • City Planning processes all SB 9 Urban Lot Split filings. Please scroll down for links to application forms and application instructions.
  • LADBS processes all Two Unit Developments. Contact LADBS about filing a building permit application and for answers to questions about the approval of a Two Unit Development. (Scroll down for contact information.)
  • SB 9 projects cannot demolish "protected units," such as units of covenanted affordable housing, units subject to the Rent Stabilization Ordinance (RSO), or any unit occupied by a tenant in the last three years. Any property developed with a single-family residence built prior to October 1, 1978 and an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU), or two or more dwelling units, is considered subject to the RSO. Contact the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) with questions about whether a property is subject to the RSO.
  • If an existing unit has been occupied by a tenant within the last three years, SB 9 projects cannot demolish more than 25% of the exterior walls of the unit.
  • Lot splits are subject to a minimum three year owner occupancy requirement by an affidavit, meaning one of the units shall be the primary residence for the owner for at least three years after approval for the lot split.
  • A parcel can only be divided once through the SB 9 Urban Lot Split process.
  • The same person (or someone acting on their behalf) cannot perform a lot split on adjacent lots (i.e., a person who owns two adjacent parcels cannot perform lot splits on both).
  • Short-term and vacation rentals are prohibited, as units may only be rented for 30 days or longer. However, City-registered Home-Sharing as an accessory use to a primary residence is permitted.
  • If a property contains protected trees, consult with Public Works' Urban Forestry Division early in the process. Scroll down for contact information.
  • An applicant can request an Urban Lot Split in combination with a Two Unit Development on each newly created lot.
  • For SB 9 Urban Lot Splits, ADUs count towards the two unit maximum per lot.
  • For SB 9 Two Unit Developments not concurrently using an SB 9 Urban Lot Split, ADUs do not count towards a two unit maximum. A property that chooses a Two Unit Development without an Urban Lot Split may develop as many ADUs as permitted by the 2020 ADU Memo. Scroll down for a link to the memo.

Application Forms

Habitat Forms
CP-3608 Owner’s Declaration of No Habitat
CP-3610 Biologist’s Statement of Habitat
Both Urban Lot Splits and Two Unit Developments require the submission of a Habitat Statement Form. The applicable form shall be determined by the information provided on the Eligibility Criteria Checklist (see above for instructions on how to access a property's Eligibility Criteria Checklist").

Urban Lot Split Forms
CP-3604 SB 9 Urban Lot Split Application
CP-3605 SB 9 Urban Lot Split Specialized Requirements
Before filing an SB 9 Urban Lot Split application, verify to ensure that it includes all applicable items listed on the SB 9 Urban Lot Split Specialized Requirements checklist.

Resources

SB 9 Implementation Memo
SB 9 Fact Sheet
SB 9 Government Code Language
LAHD Information on RSO and ADUs
Implementation of 2019 ADU Ordinance and State ADU Law

Contact Information

Please email planning.sb9@lacity.org with planning-related questions. Please direct other questions to the relevant City department.

Los Angeles Building and Safety
Phone: 3-1-1 (within the City of Los Angeles) or
(213) 473-3231
www.ladbs.org

Los Angeles Housing Department
Phone: (213) 928-9097
LAHD Land Use Unit:
lahd-landuse@lacity.org RSO and the Ellis Act:
Lahd-landlorddeclarations@lacity.org
https://housing.lacity.org

Los Angeles Fire Department
Hydrants and Access:
lafdhydrants@lacity.org
Fire Life Safety Questions:
lafd.fdsapplication@lacity.org
https://www.lafd.org/

Bureau of Engineering
BOE Customer Service Portal
eng.lacity.org

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
Electrical Service:
(213) 367-6937
Water Service:
(213) 367-2130
www.ladwp.com

Public Works aUrban Forestry Division Suite 400
(213) 847-3077
bss.urbanforestry@lacity.org
https://streetsla.lacity.org/urban-forestry-division