In 2019, City Planning released an updated draft of the Downtown Community Plan. As the cornerstone of the City’s long-range planning efforts, the Plan establishes neighborhood-level policies to guide future development considerations in Los Angeles’s core.
By 2040, Downtown is projected to accommodate 125,000 new residents, in addition to 55,000 new jobs—representing 20% of the City’s population growth in 1% of its land area. The Plan would accommodate this growth through new land use strategies aimed at reinforcing Downtown’s economic base, strengthening linkages between neighborhoods, and incentivizing residential units.
The Plan update would increase the area where residential uses are permitted in Downtown by more than 33%. Historically, much of this area has been zoned for industrial use. The Plan would also encourage more creative and affordable types of housing that reflect a diverse mix of options, such as micro-units, live-work spaces, supportive housing, and adaptive reuse projects. New zoning has been developed to implement the Plan’s policy and goals.
City Planning’s in-house Graphics team used the Department’s new branding guidelines to bring the vision of the Downtown Community Plan to life. Among the material developed to supplement the text of the draft Plan were interactive and printable maps depicting the area’s proposed zoning, explanatory documents breaking down the components of the new zoning tools introduced in the Plan, and an interactive story map showing the Plan’s aims for housing, jobs, and sustainability. The visual aids developed by the Graphics team help residents visualize the results policies will have in their communities, supporting City Planning’s increased emphasis on clarity and simplicity in its outreach materials.
