Karen Bass Wants to Fix LA’s Permitting Problem. Here’s What ED 19 Could Actually Change.
If you've ever tried to build something in Los Angeles, you know that figuring out what you're allowed to build is only half the battle.
You still have to get it through the City.
In April, Mayor Karen Bass signed Executive Directive 19, aimed at fixing a development process the City itself describes as fragmented and unpredictable.
And there are a few things in it that actually caught my attention.
The Big One: Stop Reviewing Everything in Sequence
A project in LA can touch Planning, Building and Safety, Public Works, LADWP and other departments.
Today, those reviews don't always happen at the same time.
ED 19 directs the City toward concurrent review — letting multiple departments review a project simultaneously instead of sending it through one. slow. stop. after. another.
That sounds procedural. But if you've ever worked on a development project, it's not.
Every extra month can mean more financing costs, consultant fees and uncertainty.
There Are Some Other Interesting Pieces
Bass also directed the City to work toward:
one digital system for development review
standard plans for single-family homes
faster and more transparent LADWP utility connections
expanded self-certification for certain projects
more use of technology, including AI, during plan review
Some of this is already moving. LADBS, for example, has expanded its self-certification program citywide for qualifying commercial tenant improvements.
This Is the Part I'll Be Watching
I'm less interested in whether Los Angeles creates another portal than whether someone trying to build actually notices a difference.
Do approvals get faster?
Do departments coordinate better?
Does it become easier to predict how long a project will take and what it will cost?
Because when I'm looking at a property, I don't just care about what could be built there.
I care about how difficult it will be to actually build it.
And if Bass can make that part of development in Los Angeles more predictable, ED 19 could end up being a pretty meaningful reform.
Tim Brown is a California-licensed real estate agent, civil engineer and real estate investor serving Los Angeles.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal or land-use advice.
