Los Angeles City Planning - 4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT … · 2016. 9. 7. · September 2016 4.H....

CityofLosAngeles 1020S.FigueroaStreetProjectPCRServicesCorporation. 4.H‐1

4. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS H. POPULATION, HOUSING, AND EMPLOYMENT

1. INTRODUCTION

This section analyzes the potential effects of the Project’s contribution to population, housing, andemploymentgrowthwithintheCityofLosAngeles(City)andtheCentralCityCommunityPlan(CommunityPlan) area. Project effects on these demographic characteristics are compared to adopted and advisorygrowth forecastsand relevantpoliciesandprogramsregardingplanning for futuredevelopment. Relatedinformation regarding the effects of the new development on the relationship between land uses andresulting land use patterns is further addressed in Section 4.F,LandUseandPlanning. Potential growth‐inducingimpactsoftheProjectarefurtheraddressedinSection6,OtherCEQAConsiderations.

2. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING

a. Existing Conditions

(1) On‐Site Conditions

The Project Site is currently developed with the Luxe City Center Hotel (Luxe Hotel) on the northwestportionoftheProjectSitewiththeremainderoftheProjectSitedevelopedwithsurfaceparking.TheLuxeHotel is a nine story building that includes 178 guest rooms, a main lobby,meeting space area, interiorrestaurant,anindoor/outdoorbarandloungearea(NixonBarandLounge),fitnesscenter,andaone‐levelparkingdeckwithparkingbelowandabovethedeck.

TheLuxeHotelcurrentlymaintainsastaffof118fulltimeemployees.Thepositionscoveralargerangeofadministrative/management maintenance, and service activities. Hotel workers serve visitor hospitalityneedsaswellasfoodandbeverageservices.

(2) 2010 Population and Housing Estimates

TheProjectSiteislocatedwithintheCentralCityCommunityPlanareaoftheCityofLosAngeles,andProjectimpactsattheCommunityPlanandCitywidelevelsareconsideredinthisanalysis.Populationandhousingdata from the 2010 decennial census is shown in Table 4.H‐1, 2010 Population and Housing CensusEstimates. The2010decennial censusdatapreparedby theU.S.CensusBureau isbasedondoor‐to‐doorhouseholdcounts.AsindicatedinTable4.H‐1,theestimated2010populationfortheCommunityPlanareawas37,675peoplewith32,730peopleresidinginhouseholds/occupiedhousingunitsand4,945residingingroup quarters. The City population was 3,792,624 people, with 3,708,020 residing in households and84,601residingingroupquarters. Thenumberofhouseholds/occupiedhousingunitswas20,080unitsintheCommunityPlanareaand1,318,168unitsintheCity.Theaveragehouseholdsizeis1.63personsfortheCommunityPlanareaand2.81personsfortheCity.

(3) Projected Population, Housing and Employment Estimates

The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) 2016‐2040 Regional TransportationPlan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (2016 RTP/SCS) is based on growth projections for populations,households,andemploymentpreparedforregional,county,andlocaljurisdictionalareasandtransportation

4.H. Population, Housing, and Employment September 2016


analysiszones(TAZs).The2016RTP/SCSreportsdemographicdatafor2012,2020,2035and2040.1The2016RTP/SCSforecastsrepresentthelikelygrowthscenariofortheSouthernCaliforniaregioninthefuture,taking into account recent and past trends, reasonable key technical assumptions, and local or regionalgrowthpolicies.Anestimateofthe2016baselinepopulationandgrowthprojectionsfor2023and2040areshowninTable4.H‐2,ProjectedPopulation,HousingandEmploymentEstimates,anddiscussedbelow.2

Population

AsindicatedinTable4.H‐2,theCommunityPlanareapopulationisexpectedtoincreaseby20,423people,or43percent,bythetimeofProjectbuildoutin2023.TheCityofLosAngelespopulationisexpectedtogrowby170,863peopleor4percentduringthatsameperiod.

By2040,theHorizonyearoftheSCAGprojections,thepopulationisexpectedtoincreaseintheCommunityPlan area by 94,265 people or 199 percent. The City of Los Angeles population is expected to grow by678,187peopleor17percentduringthatsameperiod.

Housing

AsindicatedinTable4.H‐2,thenumberofhouseholds/occupiedhousingunitsisexpectedtoincreaseintheCommunityPlanareaby11,880units,or47percent,bythetimeofProjectbuildoutin2023.ThenumberofhouseholdsintheCityofLosAngelesisexpectedtogrowby93,437unitsorsevenpercentduringthatsametime frame. By 2040, the number of households in the Community Plan area is expected to increase by55,654units,or221percent. ThenumberofhouseholdsintheCityofLosAngelesisexpectedtogrowby306,877units,or22percent,duringthatsameperiod.

1 SCAGprovidesTAZdatato local jurisdictionsfor localplanning. TheCommunityPlanestimatesandprojectionsarebasedonthe

SCAGdataandwereprovidedbytheCity’sDepartmentofCityPlanningandincludedinAppendixH,TableH‐2ofthisDraftEIR.2 The2016baselineestimatewasdeterminedbyinterpolatingfromdatapresentedintheSCAGprojections.

Table 4.H‐1

2010 Population and Housing Census Estimates

Population Housing Units

Total

Population

Population in

Households

Population in Group Quarters Total Units

Occupied Units/

Households Vacant Units

CentralCityCommunityPlanArea 37,675 32,730 4,945 23,626 20,080 3,546

CityofLosAngeles 3,792,621 3,708,020 84,601 1,413,995 1,318,168 95,827

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census; City Data from DP‐1, Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics‐2010; Community Plan Data provided by Los Angeles City Planning Demographic Research Unit, December 11, 2015 and included in Appendix H, Table H‐1 of this Draft EIR.

September 2016 4.H. Population, Housing, and Employment


Employment

As shown in Table 4.H‐2, the number ofworkers in the Community Plan area is expected to increase by12,335workers,orsevenpercent,bythetimeofProjectbuildout in2023. Thenumberofworkers intheCityofLosAngelesisexpectedtogrowby142,477employees,oreightpercent,duringthatsameperiod.

By2040,thenumberofworkersintheCommunityPlanareaisexpectedtoincreaseby32,052workers,or17percent.ThenumberofemployeesintheCityofLosAngelesisexpectedtogrowby371,143workers,anincreaseof21percentduringthatsameperiod.

b. Regulatory Framework

(1) Regional Level

TheProject is locatedwithin the jurisdictionof SCAG, a JointPowersAgencyestablishedunderCaliforniaGovernment Code Section 6502 et seq. Pursuant to federal and State law, SCAG serves as a Council ofGovernments, a Regional Transportation Planning Agency, and the Metropolitan Planning Organization(MPO) for Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ventura, and Imperial Counties. SCAG’smandated responsibilities include developing plans and policies with respect to the region’s populationgrowth, transportation programs, air quality, housing, and economic development. Specifically, SCAG isresponsible for preparing theRegional Comprehensive Plan (RCP), theRTP, andRegionalHousingNeedsAssessment (RHNA), in coordination with other State and local agencies. These documents includepopulation,employment,andhousingprojections fortheregionandits13subregions. TheProjectSite islocatedwithintheLosAngelesSubregion.

Table 4.H‐2

Projected Population, Housing and Employment Estimates

2016

Baseline

Projected Buildout Year – 2023 SCAG 2040 Horizon Year

Projected Total

Growth Percentage Increase Projected

Total Growth

Percentage Increase

PopulationCentralCityCommunityPlanArea

47,294 67,717 20,423 43% 141,559 94,265 199%

CityofLosAngeles 3,931,227 4,102,090 170,863 4% 4,609,414 678,187 17%HousingCentralCityCommunityPlanArea

25,238 37,118 11,880 47% 80,891 55,654 221%

CityofLosAngeles 1,383,467 1,476,903 93,437 7% 1,290,343 306,877 22%EmploymentCentralCityCommunityPlanArea

189,627 201,962 12,335 7% 221,679 32,052 17%

CityofLosAngeles 1,797,971 1,940,448 142,477 8% 2,169,114 371,143 21%

Source: Based on SCAG data prepared for the 2016 – 2040 RTP/SCS. Estimates for 2016 and 2023 are based on interpolation of data presented in the RTP/SCS for 2012, 2020 and 2035 as included in Appendix H, Table H‐2 of this Draft EIR. Compiled by PCR Services Corporation, 2016.



(a) Regional Comprehensive Plan

Aspartofitsplanningobligations,SCAGpreparestheRCP,mostrecentlyupdatedin2008.TheRCPdoesnotitself include population projections, but serves as a policy guide uponwhich population projections arepreparedinupdatestotheRegionalTransportationPlan(RTP).The2008RCPisanadvisorydocumentthatmaybe voluntarily usedby local jurisdictionswhendeveloping local plans and addressing local issues ofregionalsignificance. Itaddresses issuesrelatedto futuregrowthandprovidesameans forassessingthepotentialimpactofindividualdevelopmentprojectswithinaregionalcontext.Localgovernmentsareaskedto consider the RCP’s recommendations in the preparation of General Plan updates, municipal codeamendments,designguidelines,incentiveprogramsandotheractions.

(b) Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy

InApril 2016, SCAG’sRegional Council adopted the 2016‐2040Regional Transportation Plan/SustainableCommunitiesStrategy(2016RTP/SCS).The2016RTP/SCSpresentsthetransportationvisionfortheregionthrough the year 2040 and provides a long‐term investment framework for addressing the region’stransportation and related challenges. As previously discussed, the RTP/SCS also contains baselinesocioeconomic projections that are the basis for SCAG’s transportation planning, and the provision ofservicesbyotherregionalagencies. It includesprojectionsofpopulation,households,andemploymentattheregional,county,andlocaljurisdictionallevels,andTAZsthatprovidesmallareadatafortransportationmodeling.TheRTP/SCS identifiestheamountofexpectedgrowthintheregionandprovidestheexpecteddistributionofthatgrowth.Thedistributionreflectsgoalscitedinthe2016RTP/SCS.3Thesegoalsseektoalign the plan investments and policies with improving regional economic development andcompetitiveness;maximizingmobilityandaccessibility;ensuringtravelsafetyandreliability forallpeopleandgoodsintheregion;preservingandensuringasustainableregionaltransportationsystem;maximizingthe productivity of the transportation system; protecting the environment and health of our residents byimproving air quality and encouraging active transportation (e.g., bicycling and walking); activelyencouragingandcreatingincentivesforenergyefficiency,wherepossible;encouraginglanduseandgrowthpatterns that facilitate transit and active transportation; and maximizing the security of the regionaltransportationsystemthroughimprovedsystemmonitoring,rapidrecoveryplanning,andcoordinationwithothersecurityagencies.

The 2016 RTP/SCS recognizes the need to provide an integrated approach to protect, maximize theproductivityof,andstrategicallyexpandtheregion’stransportationsystem.Animportantcomponentofthisstrategy is “Smart Land Use.”4 SCAG has been attempting to integrate land use and transportation byworking with subregions and local communities to increase development densities and improve thejobs/housing balance. Smart land use strategies encourage walking, biking, and transit use, therebyreducingvehiculardemand.Thissavestraveltime,reducespollution,andleadstoimprovedhealth.

AcomponentoftheSCAGstrategyhasbeentofocusnewgrowthinHighQualityTransitAreas(HQTAs),thedowntownLosAngelesareabeinganintegralcomponentofthisstrategy.HQTAsareareaswithinonehalfmileofafixedguidewaytransitstoporbustransitcorridor.WhileHQTAsaccountforonlythreepercentof

3 2016‐2014RTP/SCS,page64.4 SCAG,2016‐2040RTP/SCS,Figure5.1,SystemManagementPyramid,page85.



totallandareaintheSCAGregion,HQTAswillaccommodate46percentand55percentoffuturehouseholdandemploymentgrowthrespectivelybetween2012and2040.5

(c) Sustainability Planning Grant Program

The Sustainability Planning Grant Program (formerly known as Compass Blueprint Grant Program) wasestablished as an innovative vehicle for promoting local jurisdictional efforts to test local planning tools.Sincestartingin2005,133projectshavebeencompletedthroughtheprogram,withanother69projectstobe completed by the end of 2016. By supporting exemplary projects, the Sustainability Planning GrantsProgramillustratesthevalueeffectivegrowthplanningcanbringtoourregionalpartnersandtheregionasawhole.

The Sustainability Planning Grants Program provides direct technical assistance to SCAG memberjurisdictionstocompleteplanningandpolicyeffortsthatenableimplementationoftheregionalSCS.Grantsareavailableinthefollowingthreecategories:

IntegratedLandUse–SustainableLandUsePlanning,TransitOrientedDevelopment(TOD)andLandUse&TransportationIntegration

ActiveTransportation–Bicycle,PedestrianandSafeRoutestoSchoolPlans

GreenRegion –Natural Resource Plans, Climate Action Plans (CAPs) andGreenHouse Gas (GHG)Reductionprograms

(d) Regional Housing Needs Assessment

SCAGpreparestheRHNAasmandatedbyStatelawaspartoftheperiodicupdatingoftheHousingElementsof General Plans by local jurisdictions. TheRHNA identifies the housing needs for very low income, lowincome,moderateincome,andabovemoderateincomegroups. ThemostrecentRHNAallocation,the“5thCycle RHNA Allocation Plan”, was adopted by the Regional Council on October 4, 2012. This allocationidentifies housing needs for the planning period between January 2014 and October 2021. Localjurisdictionsare requiredbyState law toupdate theirGeneralPlanHousingElementsbasedon themostrecentlyadoptedRHNAallocation.

(2) City of Los Angeles

(a) City of Los Angeles General Plan

The City of Los Angeles General Plan (General Plan)was prepared pursuant to State law to guide futuredevelopmentandtoidentifythecommunity’senvironmental,social,andeconomicgoals.TheGeneralPlansetsforthgoals,objectives,andprogramstoprovideaguidelineforday‐to‐daylandusepoliciesandtomeetthe existing and future needs anddesires of the community,while integrating a range of State‐mandatedelementsincludingTransportation,Noise,Safety,Housing,andOpenSpace/Conservation.TheGeneralPlanalsoincludestheGeneralPlanFrameworkElement,discussedbelow,andtheCentralCityCommunityPlan,whichguideslanduseatthecommunitylevel.

5 SCAG,2016‐2040RTP/SCS,page75.



(b) City of Los Angeles General Plan Framework

The City of Los Angeles General Plan Framework Element (General Plan Framework) establishes theconceptual basis for the City’s General Plan. The General Plan Framework sets forth a Citywidecomprehensivelong‐rangegrowthstrategyanddefinesCitywidepoliciesregardinglanduse,housing,urbanform, neighborhood design, open space and conservation, economic development, transportation,infrastructure, and public services. General Plan Framework land use policies are implemented at thecommunitylevelthroughCommunityPlansandSpecificPlans.

TheGeneralPlanFrameworkLandUseChapterdesignatesDistricts(i.e.,NeighborhoodDistricts,CommunityCenters,RegionalCenters,DowntownCenters,andMixed‐UseBoulevards)andprovidespoliciesapplicableto each District that are intended to support the vitality of the City’s residential neighborhoods andcommercial districts. The Project Site is located in the designated “Downtown Center” district. TheDowntown Center is identified as the location for “… major cultural and entertainment facilities, hotels,professional offices, corporate headquarters, financial institutions, high‐rise residential towers, regionaltransportation facilities and theConventionCenter. TheGeneralPlandescribes theDowntownCenter asgenerallycharacterizedbyfloorarearatioofupto13:1andhighrisebuildings.”6

TheHousingChapteroftheGeneralPlanFrameworkstatesthathousingproductionhasnotkeptpacewiththedemandforhousing.AccordingtotheGeneralPlanFramework,theCityofLosAngeleshasinsufficientvacant properties to accommodate the projected population growth and the supply of land zoned forresidential development is the most constrained. The Housing Chapter states that new residentialdevelopmentwillrequiretherecyclingand/orintensificationofexistingdevelopedproperties.TheGeneralPlanFrameworkstatesthattheCitymuststrivetomeethousingneedsofthepopulationinamannerthatcontributes to stable, safe, and livable neighborhoods, reduces conditions of overcrowding, and improvesaccessto jobsandneighborhoodservices.7 Inparticular,Policy4.1.1statesthattheCityshould“[p]rovidesufficientlanduseanddensitytoaccommodateanadequatesupplyofhousingunitsbytypeandcostwithineachCity subregion tomeet the 20‐yearprojectionsof housingneeds.” Objective 4.2 “[e]ncourage[s] thelocation of new multi‐family housing development to occur in proximity to transit stations, along sometransitcorridors,andwithinsomehighactivityareaswithadequatetransitionsandbuffersbetweenhigher‐densitydevelopmentsandsurroundinglower‐densityresidentialneighborhoods.”8

TheEconomicDevelopmentChapteroftheGeneralPlanFrameworkElementincludesanumberofpoliciesregardingtheprovisionofcommerciallanddevelopment.Policy7.2.2statesthatcommercialdevelopmententitlementsshouldbeconcentratedinareasbestabletosupportthem,includingcommunityandregionalcenters, transit stations, and mixed‐use corridors, so as to prevent commercial development fromencroachingonexistingresidentialneighborhoods.Policy7.2.3encouragesnewcommercialdevelopmentinproximitytorailandbustransitcorridors.

6 CityofLosAngelesGeneralPlanFramework,Long‐RangeLandUseDiagram,MetroArea.AdoptedDecember11,1996;Re‐adopted

August8,2001.7 GeneralPlanFramework,pages4‐1to4‐2.8 GeneralPlanFramework,pages4‐4and4‐6.



(c) General Plan Housing Element

TheHousingElementoftheGeneralPlanispreparedpursuanttoStatelawandprovidesplanningguidanceinmeetingthehousingneedsidentifiedinSCAG’sRHNA.TheHousingElementidentifiestheCity’shousingconditions and needs, establishes the goals, objectives, and policies that are the foundation of the City’shousingandgrowthstrategy, andprovides thearrayofprograms theCity intends to implement tocreatesustainable, mixed‐income neighborhoods. The 2013‐2021 Housing Element, an update to the previous2006‐2014HousingElementthatisbasedontheupdated2012RHNA,wasadoptedbytheCityCouncilonDecember 3, 2013. Policies of note include Policy 1.1.3, which states the City should “[f]acilitate newconstruction and preservation of a range of housing types that address the particular needs of the city’shouseholds.” Also, Policy 1.1.4 states that the City should “[e]xpand opportunities for residentialdevelopment, particularly in designated Centers, Transit Oriented Districts and along Mixed‐UseBoulevards.” The Housing Element carries forward the goals of the General Plan Framework ElementHousingchapter to encourage infill developmentand increasedensity inhigher‐intensity commercial andmixed‐usedistricts,centersandboulevards,andinproximitytotransit.

Further,Chapter1,HousingNeedsAssessment,identifiestheCity’sshareofthehousingneedsestablishedinthe RHNA. In particular, Table 1.29, City of Los Angeles Regional Housing Needs Assessment Allocation,indicatesthattheCity’sneedsassessmentallocationincludes82,002housingunitsofwhich35,412units,or43.2percent,wouldbeforabovemoderateincomehouseholds.Theremaining56.8percentoftheneededhousing units consist of 13,728 moderate‐income units (16.8 percent), 12,435 low‐income units (15.2percent), 10,213 very low‐income units (12.5 percent), and 10,213 extremely low‐income units (12.5percent).9Thisallocationrepresentsone‐fifthof the totalneedof412,721housingunits identified for thesix‐county SCAG region. The percentage increased from the previous housing needs cycle and Cityproportion,whichwas one sixth of the regional need. This shift in the proportion of the regional needsallocated to the City represents compliance with the Sustainable Communities Strategy that encouragesdevelopmentintoareaswithhighproportionsofHQTAs.

TheHousingElementalsoestablishesquantifiableobjectivesregardingthenumberofnewhousingunitsitanticipatesbeingconstructed. TheHousingElement’sobjective fornewhousing is59,559units,ofwhich48,000unitswouldbeforabovemoderateincomeunits,1,122unitswouldbeformoderate‐incomefamilies,4,873 new unitswould be for low‐income, 3,834would be for very low‐income and 1,730would be forextremelylowincome.

(d) Central City Community Plan

The Land Use Element of the City’s General Plan includes 35 Community Plans. Community Plans areintended to provide an official guide for future development and propose approximate locations anddimensions for land use. The Community Plans establish standards and criteria for the development ofhousing,commercialuses,andindustrialuses,aswellascirculationandservicesystems. TheCommunityPlansimplementtheCity’sGeneralPlanFrameworkElementatthelocallevel.TheCommunityPlansconsistof both text and an accompanying generalized land usemap. The Community Plan text expresses goals,objectives,policies,andprogramstoaddressgrowthinthecommunity. TheCommunityPlanmapdepicts

9 Ibid,Table1.29,page1‐79.



thedesiredarrangementoflandusesaswellasstreetclassificationsandthelocationsandcharacteristicsofpublicservicefacilities.

TheProjectislocatedwithintheCentralCityCommunityPlanarea(CommunityPlan).TheCommunityPlanincorporatesgeographicprojectionsfortheyear2010thatwereincludedintheGeneralPlanFramework.10The General Plan Frameworkmakes clear that its population forecasts are estimates: “… it [FrameworkElement]isnotdependentuponthesepopulationlevelsordistributionsforitsimplementation.Itdoesnotmandatespecificlevelsofgrowthforanyspecificarea(neitherminimumsnorcaps).”11

TheCommunityPlanalso includesdataregardingpotentialplanpopulationanddwellingunitcapacity for2010, based on assumptions regarding then existing land use designations. This data identifies 14,398dwellingunitswithanexpectedreasonablepopulationbasedondevelopmentinresidentiallyzonedareasof27,212.Itidentifiesareasonable2010populationof34,765inclusiveofpopulation/dwellingunitslocatedwithin commercial areas aswell as residential areas. This equates to a reasonable expected estimate of18,394unitsinclusiveofresidentialdevelopmentinboththecommercialareasandresidentialareas.

The Central City Community Plan also includes residential and commercial objectives and policies thatestablishadevelopmentconceptforitsneighborhoodsanddistricts.KeyprovisionsregardingthepreferreddevelopmentintheProjectvicinityincludethefollowing:

Residential Objectives

Objective1‐1:TopromotedevelopmentofresidentialunitsinSouthPark.

Objective 1‐2: To increase the range of housing choices available to Downtown employees andresidents.

Commercial Objectives

Objective2‐2:ToretaintheexistingretailbaseinCentralCity.

o Policy 2‐2.2: To encourage pedestrian‐oriented and visitor serving uses during the eveninghours especially along the Grand Avenue cultural corridor and between the HollywoodFreeway (US101) andFifthStreet, theFigueroaStreet corridorbetween theSantaMonicaFreeway(I‐10)andFifthStreetandBroadwaybetweenThirdStreetandNinthStreet.

Objective2‐3:TopromotelandusesinCentralCitythatwilladdresstheneedsofallthevisitorstoDowntownforbusinesses,conventions,tradeshows,andtourism.

o Policy2‐3.1: SupportthedevelopmentofahotelandentertainmentdistrictsurroundingtheConvention Center/Staples Arena with linkages to other areas of Central City and theFigueroacorridor.

10 Theseincludeprojectionsfortheyear2010of27,029persons,16,457householdsandanexpectedincreaseinemploymentof61,500

additionaljobsbetween1990and2010:CentralCityCommunityPlan,pageII‐3.11 City of Los Angeles, The Citywide General Plan Framework, Originally adopted by City Council on December 11, 1996

Re‐adoptedonAugust8,2001,page2‐2.



Objective2‐4:Toencourageamixofuseswhichcreateanactive,24‐hourdowntownenvironmentforcurrentresidentsandwhichwouldalsofosterincreasedtourism.

(e) City Center Redevelopment Project

TheProject isalso locatedwithin theboundariesof theCityCenterRedevelopmentProject. AsdiscussedmorefullyinSection4.F,LandUseandPlanning,theCityCenterRedevelopmentProjectPlanwasadoptedonMay15,2002;andhasanenddateofMay15,2032.The879‐acreRedevelopmentPlanareaincorporatesalargeportionof theCentralCityCommunityPlanarea, including theHistoricDowntown, SouthPark, andCityMarketssubareas.

The Redevelopment Project and Plan were adopted pursuant to State laws, and carried out under theauspicesof theCommunityRedevelopmentAgency(CRA). In2011, theStatedissolvedtheapproximately400redevelopmentagenciesacrosstheState.AtthistimeCRA/LA,aDesignatedLocalAuthority(DLA)andsuccessor to the CRA oversees projects that were formerly under the auspices of the CRA. While theeconomic development and financial tools of the former CRA are no longer available, the existingRedevelopmentProjectareasandtheCity’sRedevelopmentPlanremainineffect.

AsfurtherclarifiedbytheCRA/LAandapplicabletotheCityCenterRedevelopmentProjectarea,CommunityPlanlanduseandzoningdesignationsprevailoverRedevelopmentPlanmapdesignationsandfuturepermitapplicationswillnotrequireCRA/LAdiscretionarylanduseapprovals. However,projectswillcontinuetobereviewedbyCRA/LAforconformancewiththeCityCenterRedevelopmentPlan.

ThePlanincludes15objectivesthatdefinetheroleofthedowntownareaandthetypesandfeaturesofthedevelopment that should occur in the future. Of these, the following more directly address the issue ofgrowthinthedowntownarea.Theyareasfollows:

Objective1.ToeliminateandpreventthespreadofblightanddeteriorationandtorehabilitateandredeveloptheProjectAreainaccordancewiththisPlan.

Objective 2. To further the development of Downtown as the major center of the Los Angelesmetropolitanregion,withinthecontextoftheLosAngelesGeneralPlanasenvisionedbytheGeneralPlanFramework,ConceptPlan,City‐widePlanportions, theCentralCityCommunityPlan, and theDowntownStrategicPlan.

Objective3 Tocreateanenvironment thatwillprepare,andallow, theCentralCity toaccept thatshare of regional growth and development which is appropriate, and which is economically andfunctionallyattractedtoit.

Objective6. Tocreateamodern,efficientandbalancedurbanenvironment forpeople, includingafull range of around‐the‐clock activities and uses, such as recreation, sports, entertainment andhousing.

Objective7.TocreateasymbolofprideandidentitywhichgivestheCentralCityastrongimageasthemajorcenteroftheLosAngelesregion.



TheRedevelopmentPlanalsoprovidesdevelopmentguidelinesregardingtheamountsofdevelopment,thetype, size and height of buildings and the permitted FAR ratios permitted. Included in its developmentguidelinesareproceduresfortransferringpreviouslyapproveddevelopmentrightsfromadonorsitewithpreviousentitlementstoareceiversitewithintheRedevelopmentPlanarea. ThetransferofdevelopmentarearightsisatoolthatallowsflexibilityinthelocationofdevelopmentconsistentwithmarketforcesandotherplansandpoliciesregardingthenatureofDowntowndevelopment.

(f) GreenLA and ClimateLA

The City of Los Angeles released its climate action plan, GreenLA: An Action Plan to Lead the Nation inFighting GlobalWarming, inMay 2007. The Plan sets forth a goal of reducing the City’s greenhouse gasemissionsto35%below1990levelsbytheyear2030,oneofthemostaggressivegoalsofanybigcityintheU.S. This voluntary plan identifies over 50 action items, grouped into focus areas, to reduce emissions.While the emphasis is on municipal facilities and operations, and programs to reduce emissions in thecommunity,theplanprovideslanduseguidelinesregardingtransitorienteddevelopment.

ClimateLA is the implementation program that provides detailed information about each action itemdiscussed in theGreenLA framework. Action items focusonmechanisms for improving energy efficiencyand reducing energy consumption. ClimateLA also includes land use actions to promote reduced energyconsumption:LU1saysto“Promotehigh‐densityhousingclosetomajortransportationstops;”LU2saysto“Promoteandimplementtransit‐orienteddevelopment(TOD).”

(g) Transfer of Floor Area Rights Ordinance No. 178,592

The Transfer of Floor Area Rights (TFAR) provision of the LAMC (Article 4.5, Sections 14.5.1 through14.5.12) provides a mechanism for implementing the TFAR procedures established in Central CityCommunityPlanandtheCityCenterRedevelopmentPlan.TheTFARprovisionprovidesthemechanismsforperformingtransfers,findingsrequiredfortheapprovaloftransfers,mechanismsformonitoringtransfers.

The TFAR also establishes community benefits payments that must be implemented as part of transferactivities.Itestablishestheguidelinesforcalculatingandassessingthepublicbenefitpayments.

3. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

a. Methodology

The analysis of Population, Housing and Employment impacts compares the Project’s contribution topopulation, housing, and employment growth to Community Plan, Redevelopment Plan and Citywideprojections and policies regarding future development. The analysis evaluates whether the Project’shousing,residentialpopulation,andemploymentcreationfallswithinthoseprojectionsanddoesnotconflictwithrelatedpolicies.

The Project’s residential population was calculated based on the average household size within theCommunity Plan area, based upon 2010 Census data. This estimate provided a conservative estimate offuturepopulation. Thenumberofemployeeswascalculatedusingemployeegenerationfactorsdevelopedfor a rangeof landusesby theLosAngelesUnifiedSchoolDistrict in its2014DeveloperFee JustificationStudy.



Theestimatesof futurepopulation,housing,andemploymentarebasedondatapreparedbySCAGforthe2016RTP/SCS.The2016RTP/SCSreportsdemographicdatafor2008,2020and2040.The2016RTP/SCSforecasts represent the likelygrowthscenario for theSouthernCalifornia region in the future, taking intoaccount recent and past trends, reasonable key technical assumptions, and local and regional growthpolicies.

b. Thresholds of Significance

AppendixGoftheCEQAGuidelinesprovidesasetofscreeningquestionsthataddressimpactswithregardtopopulationgrowthanddisplacementofhousingorpopulation.Thefollowingquestionappliestotheissueofpopulationgrowth:

Wouldtheproject:

Induce substantial population growth in an area, either directly (for example by proposing newhomes and businesses) or indirectly (for example, through extension of roads or otherinfrastructure)beyondtheadoptedprojectionsoftheapplicableplan?

Displace substantial numbers of existing housing, necessitating the construction of replacementhousingelsewhere?

Displace substantial numbers of people, necessitating the construction of replacement housingelsewhere?

AsdiscussedintheInitialStudy,providedinAppendixAofthisDraftEIR,andinChapter6.0,EffectsFoundNottobeSignificant,inSectionA,theProjectwouldhavenoimpactrelatedtothedisplacementofhousingorresidentialpopulation.Assuch,nofurtheranalysisofthesetopicsinthissectionisnecessary.

The L.A. CEQA Thresholds Guide incorporates the screening questions contained in Appendix G. Inaccordancewith theCity’s thresholds, thedeterminationofsignificanceshouldbemadeonacase‐by‐casebasis,consideringthefollowingfactors:

Thedegreetowhichtheprojectwouldcausegrowth(i.e.,newhousingoremploymentgenerators)oracceleratedevelopmentinanundevelopedareathatexceedsprojected/plannedlevelsfortheyearof project occupancy/buildout, and that would result in an adverse physical change in theenvironment;

WhethertheprojectwouldintroduceunplannedinfrastructurethatwasnotpreviouslyevaluatedintheadoptedCommunityPlanorGeneralPlan;and

Theextenttowhichgrowthwouldoccurwithoutimplementationoftheproject.

Thefirstandthirdfactorsbothrefertoacomparisonoftheaddedgrowthofaprojecttoabaselineofgrowthwithout the project. Based on these factors, the Project would have a significant impact on population,housingandemploymentif:

PH‐1 TheProjectwouldcausegrowth (i.e.newhousingoremploymentgenerators)oracceleratedevelopment in an undeveloped area that exceeds projected/planned levels for the year of the



projectoccupancy/buildout,ascomparedtogrowthotherwiseoccurring,andthatwouldresultinanadversephysicalchangeintheenvironment;or

PH‐2 TheProjectwould introduceunplanned infrastructure thatwasnotpreviously evaluated inthe adopted Community Plan or General Plan construction of which would result in an adversephysicalchangeintheenvironment.

c. Project Characteristics

The Project would demolish the existing Luxe Hotel, surface parking, and related improvements on theProject Site in order to construct a newmixed‐use hotel, residential and commercial development. Themixed‐useProjectwouldincludeuptoapproximately1,129,284sfoffloorarea(approximately9.7:1FAR)inthreetowersatopaneightlevelpodium(Podium)withfourlevelsabovegradewith….anduptofourlevelsbelow grade parking. The Project would include a total of up to 300 hotel rooms, 650 residentialcondominiumunits,anduptoapproximately80,000sfofretail,restaurant,andothercommercialuses.

Thenew650residentialunitswouldprovidehousingfornewpopulationattheProjectSite,contributingtothe residential development within the South Park area of Downtown. The Project’s new hotel andcommercial development would be a source of new employment at the Project Site. In part, the newemploymentwould replace jobs currentlyprovidedby theexistinghoteldevelopment. At the same time,therewouldbeanincrementofadditionalemploymentbeyondthatoccurringtoday.

d. Project Impacts

ThresholdPH‐1Theprojectwouldhaveasignificantimpactifitwouldcausegrowth(i.e.newhousingoremployment generators) or acceleratedevelopment that exceedsprojected/planned levels for the year oftheprojectoccupancy/buildout,as compared togrowthotherwiseoccurring, and thatwouldresult in anadversephysicalchangeintheenvironment;

(1) Construction

ImpactStatementPH‐1:TheProject’sconstructionphasewouldhavenoimpactonthesupplyofhousingunitsorpopulationgrowth. Constructionactivitieswouldcreateworkforconstructionworkersthatwouldbedrawnfromanexistingregionalpoolofexistingworkers.Theshort‐termemploymentopportunitieswouldcontributetothelocalandregionaleconomy.Impactsfromconstructionactivitywouldbelessthansignificant.

ConstructionoftheProjectwouldrequiretheparticipationofconstructionemployeesthatwouldbehiredfromamobileregionalconstructionworkforcethatmovesfromprojecttoproject.Typically,constructionworkerspassthroughvariousdevelopmentprojectsonanintermittentbasisastheirparticulartradesarerequired. Giventhemobilityandshortdurationsofworkataparticularsite,andlargeconstructionlaborpool that can be drawn upon in the region, construction employees would not be expected to relocateresidenceswithinthisregionormovefromotherregionsasaresultoftheirworkontheProject.

The number of construction workers would vary on a day to day basis over the course of Projectconstruction.Thenumberofemployeesisestimatedtorangefrom10employeesduringearlyconstructionactivitytoamaximumof700constructionworkersduringlaterconstructionactivity.AstheProjectwould



drawonanexistinglaborpool,theconstructionimpactsoftheProjectonthenumberofemployeesintheregionwouldbenegligible.Further,giventhetemporarynatureoftheconstructionactivity,themobilityofconstruction workers, and availability of a labor pool to draw on, construction workers would not beexpected to have notable impact on the demand for housing, nor affect general housing occupancy andpopulationpatterns.

The addition of construction employment opportunities, up to 700 workers on a day of maximumconstructionactivity,wouldcontributetotheeconomicwell‐beingoftheCityandregionbycreatingdirectemployment opportunities for the individuals hired and indirect contributions to the local and regionaleconomythroughexpendituresofthoseemployees,particularlyatretailoperationsintheProjectvicinity.

(2) Operations – Impacts Regarding SCAG Growth Projections

Impact Statement PH‐2: The Project would create new housing units and generate new employmentopportunities.TheProject’scontributionstohousing,populationandemploymentwouldbeconsistentwithSCAG’sshort‐termandlong‐termgrowthprojectionsfortheCommunityPlanareaandtheCityofLosAngeles,andwouldhelptheCitymeetorexceeditshousingobjectivespertheGeneralPlanHousingElement,andhousingallocationestablished intheSCAGRHNA. ImpactsregardingtherelationshipoftheProjecttoSCAGgrowthprojectionswouldbelessthansignificant.

TheProjectwould create newhousingunits thatwould increase populationwithin the downtown, SouthParkarea. TheProjectwouldalso includenewretail,restaurantandhoteldevelopmentthatprovidenewjobs adding to the downtown employment base. The Project’s contribution to housing stock, residentialpopulation, and employment opportunities is summarized inTable4.H‐3,ProjectIncreasesinPopulation,Housing,andEmployment. The projected Project increasewithin each of these categories is compared togrowthprojectionsintheSCAG2016RTP/SCSfortheCentralCityCommunityPlanareaandtheCityofLosAngelesinTable4.H‐4,ProjectPopulation,HousingandEmploymentImpacts.

(a) Effect of the Project on Projections from 2016 Baseline to 2023 Project Buildout Year

Asindicated inTable4.H‐3, theProjectwouldadd650newhousingunitswitharesidentialpopulationof1,060and438newemployees.TheseincreasesindemographicgrowtharecomparedtotheSCAGestimatesof growth during the 2016 to 2023 buildout year as presented in Table 4.H‐4. As indicated, within theCommunity Plan area, the Project’s 1,060 population increase would comprise 5.2 percent of the SCAGestimatedincreaseof20,423. Itwouldcomprise0.6%ofthepopulationincreaseof170,863peopleintheCity. The increase of 650 housing units would comprise 5.5 percent of the SCAG estimated increase of11,880households intheCommunityPlanArea;and0.7percentof the93,437unit increaseestimatedfortheCity.Projectemployeeswouldrepresent1.2percentoftheprojectednewemployeesintheCommunityPlanareaatProjectbuildoutand0.2percentofprojectednewemployeesCitywide.



Project increases in population, housing, and employment therefore provide a small contribution toanticipatedgrowthfortheperiodbetween2016and2023,theProjectbuildoutyear,fortheCommunityPlanarea and the City as awhole. The increase in growth is consistentwith SCAG’s growth projections; andimpactsregardingconsistencywiththeprojectionswouldbelessthansignificant.

(b) Effect of the Project on Projections at the 2040 Horizon Year

Table4.H‐4alsoshowstheProjectimpactswithprojectedgrowthbetween2016and2040,thetimehorizonofthe2016RTP.TheProjectwouldcompriseamuchsmallerincrementofthetotalexpectedgrowthoverthat longer period, representing 1.1 percent of the added population increase, 1.2 percent of the addedhousingunits,and1.4percentoftheaddedemployeeswithintheCommunityPlanarea.WithintheCity,theProjectwouldcontributemuchsmallerincrementsofgrowth:0.2percentofthepopulation,0.2percentofthe housing and 0.1 percent of the employment. These are extremely small percentages of the expectedgrowth, and are well within the projected levels. Impacts regarding these estimates would be less thansignificant.

Table 4.H‐3

Project Increases in Population, Housing and Employment

Proposed Project

Population

Total Housing Units Average Household Sizea Total Population

650 1.63 1,060

Employees

Use Amount Employment Generation Factorb Number of Employees

Retail/Restaurant(sq.ft.) 80,000 0.00271 217ResidentialAmenityAreas 15,000 0.00153 23Hotel(sq.ft.)c 280,000 0.00113 316TotalNewEmployees 556 ExistingEmployees (118)

NETINCREASE 438

a The average household size reflects the average household size for the Central City Community Plan Area: 1.63 residents per occupied unit; and reflects Census data for population in households divided by the number of occupied households as reported in Table 4.H‐1, above.

b The employee generation factor for retail and hotel uses is taken from the Los Angeles Unified School District, 2014 Developer Fee Justification Study, Table 12, March 2014. As a separate rate is not provided for restaurant uses, the retail factor was used. The rate is for Neighborhood Shopping Centers. The rate for the common area is based on the community shopping center rate, which was the closest use type. The existing number of hotel employees is based on information provided by the LUXE Hotel for the existing facility

c Includes Hotel Rooms, Banquet, Conference and Amenity Areas. Source: PCR Services Corporation, 2016



Table 4.H‐4

Project Population, Housing and Employment Impacts

Project Increasea SCAG Projected Growth Project Percentage of Growth

Population

2016‐2023Buildout

CentralCityCommunityPlanArea 1060 20,423 5.2%CityofLosAngeles 1060 170,863 0.6%

2016‐2040ProjectionHorizon


Households

2016‐2023Buildout




Employment

2016‐2023Buildout




a From Table 4.H‐3 Source: PCR Services Corporation, 2016. Based on SCAG 2016 RTP/SCS projections.

(3) Operations – Effects on Growth Provisions of Applicable Plans

ImpactStatementPH‐3:TheProjectrepresentsamixed‐usedevelopmentthatwouldaddresidential,hotelandcommercialusestotheDowntown/SouthParkarea.Thetypesandamountsofdevelopmentwouldbeconsistentwiththoseanticipatedinapplicablepoliciesandgrowthprojections.

(a) Consistency with Central City Community Plan

(i) Increase in Growth

TheCentral CityCommunityPlan includesas a reference an estimateof theCentralCityCommunityPlanpopulation that might occur in 2010 given land use designations within the Community Plan area; anestimate of 34,765 people within the combined residential and commercial area. This is an estimatedreasonableexpectedpopulationbasedonamountsoflandusewithvariouslandusedesignationsthatwere



inplaceatthePlan’spublicationin2003,andassumptionsregardingdevelopmenttrendsandpracticesinthedowntownarea.12

The SCAG estimated 2016 population in the Central City Community Plan area, as shown in Table 4.H‐2,above,is47,294people,whichisgreaterthanthepreviousPlanareaestimateassociatedwiththelandusedesignationsatthetimeofPlandevelopment. WiththeadditionoftheproposedProject’s1,060residentsthe population would increase to 48,354 residents. The increase in population reflects a better thanexpected achievement in the attainment of City and regional policies to generate transit orienteddevelopmentandrevitalizetheDowntownarea.

In addition, the increase in residential development is due to the flexibility and adaptability to the TFARpoliciesandtheirimplementationunderArticle4.5,Section14.5oftheLAMC.Thetransferofdevelopmentrights has allowed transfers to residential development from FAR that might have been used byconvention/event activity and perhaps earlier development trends for office space. In other words, theTFAR facilitates the conversion of the downtown area into a more mixed use/residential area thanpreviouslyexpectedandnowsupportedbymarkettrends.

Forexample,theProject’s1,129,284sfofdevelopmentrepresents699,960sq.ft.ofdevelopmentperthe6:1FARcurrentlydesignated for theProjectSiteand429,324sf thatwouldbe transferred to theProjectSiteunderthemaximumpotentialdevelopment.Theadditional429,324sfalongwiththe699,960sf.of6:1FARisaccountedforasnewdevelopmentinthisDraftEIR.

Changing population conditions are best accounted for in SCAG population projections that are based onmonitoringofdevelopmentandareupdatedonfouryearintervalstorepresentthebestdataforplanningservices and infrastructure to meet the needs of the future. As discussed above, the Project populationrepresents5.2percentoftheSCAGestimatedgrowthintheCommunityPlanareaattheProjectcompletiondate. Further, theProject’s650housingunitsrepresent5.5percentof theSCAGgrowthprojection in theCommunityPlanareaat theProject completiondate;and the438employeesrepresent3.6percentof theestimatedemploymentgrowth.Assuch,theProjectisaccountedforinthepopulationprojectionsthatserveasthebasisforprovidingservicesandinfrastructure.

(ii) Consistency with Plan Policies and Objectives

Growth in the Downtown/South Park areas, particularly growth associated with increased residentialdevelopment and new hotel units is not only consistent with, but the result of policies to create suchdevelopment. As described in theRegulatory subsection above, theCity has been attempting to turn thedowntownareaintoamoreviablemixedusecommunity.TheseeffortsstartedintheFrameworkElementdesignatingthe“DowntownCenter”districtasthelocationfor“…majorculturalandentertainmentfacilities,hotels, professional offices, corporate headquarters, financial institutions, high‐rise residential towers,regional transportation facilities and the Convention Center. The Downtown Center is generallycharacterizedbyfloorarearatioupto13:1andhighrisebuildings.”TheCommunityPlanfollowedupwith

12 TheCommunityPlanalsonotesthepopulationgrowththatwasestimated intheFrameworkElementtooccurbetween1990and

2010thatwouldhaveresultedina2010populationof27,029people.TheestimateisincludedintheCommunityPlanasareference,recognizingthatjobsandhousingcouldgrowmorequickly,orslowly,thananticipateddependingoneconomictrends:CommunityPlan,pageII‐3toII‐4.



objectivesandpolicies tosupport increasedresidentialandhoteldevelopment in thedowntownarea, theSouthParkareainparticular.Further,theCityhasinmorerecentyearsparticipatedineffortstopromotedevelopmentpatterns thatwill reducevehiclemiles traveledprovidingreductions inenergyconsumptionand air quality emissions, aswell as convenience for commuters. These efforts are consistentwith localjurisdiction responsibility for support of the SCAG RTP/SCS efforts to provide regional guidance indeveloping “smart growth” and State efforts tomeet goals in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.TheyhavebeenfurtherreflectedintheGreenLAandClimateLAactions.

TheProjectsupportstheCommunityPlanobjectivesby:

Providingpedestrian‐orientedandvisitorservingusesduringtheeveninghoursalongtheFigueroaStreetcorridorbetweentheSantaMonicaFreeway(I‐10)andFifthStreetservingtheneedsofallthevisitors to Downtown for businesses, conventions, trade shows, and tourism. (Objective 2‐2 andPolicy2‐2.2);

Providing hotel development surrounding the Convention Center/Staples Arena with linkages tootherareasofCentralCityandtheFigueroacorridor(Objective2‐3andPolicy2‐3.1);and

Contributing toamixofuses that supportsanactive,24‐hourdowntownenvironment forcurrentresidentsandincreasedtourism(Objective2‐4).

TheProjectsupportsgeneralCityeffortstoprovidesmartgrowthasreflectedintheGreenLAandClimateLAactionsby:

Providinghigh‐densityhousingclosetomajortransportationstops(ActionLU1),and

Contributing to, and supporting a pattern of, additions to the availability of transit‐orienteddevelopment(ActionLu‐2).

(b) Consistency with the City Center Redevelopment Plan


The City Center Redevelopment Plan is tied to General Plan, Community Plan and other applicableordinancesastheyexistedatthetimeofthePlanadoptionorwouldbeamendedand/orsupplementedfromtimetotime.AsfurtherelaboratedinSection502:“IntheeventtheGeneralPlan,theapplicableCommunityPlan,oranyapplicableCityzoningordinanceisamendedorsupplementedincludingwithoutlimitation,allExhibitsattachedhereto,shallbeautomaticallymodifiedaccordinglywithouttheneedforanyformalplanamendmentprocess.”Basedonnow‐datedinformation,theRedevelopmentPlanincludedlimitationsonthenumber of buildings in the Redevelopment Plan area, 7,000 (Section 509) and number of dwelling units,approximately32,000units (Section511)basedonprevious considerations regarding the contentsof theGeneralandCommunityPlans.

However,thelandusedesignationsidentifiedintheRedevelopmentPlandefertothelandusedesignationsof the General Plan, Community Plan, and other ordinances, with the Community Plan ruling. Planconsistency with applicable plans and ordinances are addressed in Section 4.F, Land Use and Planning.However,itmaybenotedthatthe2016SCAGestimatednumberofhousingunitsintheentireCommunityPlanareais 25,238unitsasshowninTable4.H‐2. WiththeProject’sadded650units,thetotalof25,888



unitsintheentireCommunityPlanareaisstillwellbelowtheapproximately32,000unitsidentifiedforthesmallerareaoftheRedevelopmentPlan.


Theoverlyingpurposeof theRedevelopmentPlanwas topreventblightandprovideavehicle forprivateinvestment in the Downtown area. The Redevelopment Plan, along with transportation infrastructureinvestment,increasingrecognitionofthenecessitytoprovidetransitfriendlydevelopmenttoreduceenergyconsumption and vehicle miles traveled and other local and regional plans, has encouraged the type ofdevelopmentnowoccurringwithintheDowntownarea.Recentdevelopmentprojectsarecreatingasynergythatisvitalizingthedowntownarea;mostnotablyaddingresidentialdevelopmenttotheDowntownmixandcreatingavibrantvisitorcenteradjacenttotheConventionCenterandEntertainmentDistrictareas.

Morespecifically,theProjectsupportstheRedevelopmentPlanobjectivesasfollows:

Creatinganenvironmentthatwillprepare,andallow,theCentralCitytoacceptthatshareofregionalgrowthanddevelopmentwhichisappropriate,andwhichiseconomicallyandfunctionallyattractedtoit(Objective3);

Creating a symbol of pride and identitywhich gives the Central City a strong image as themajorcenteroftheLosAngelesregion.(Objective7)

Developing theDowntown as themajor center of the LosAngelesmetropolitan region; creating amodern,efficientandbalancedurbanenvironmentforpeople, includingafullrangeofaround‐the‐clockactivities(Objective2andObjective6);and

RehabilitatingandredevelopingtheProjectArea(Objective1).

(c) Consistency with the General Plan Housing Element

Aspreviouslydiscussed,thepurposeoftheGeneralPlanHousingElementistoprovideguidanceformeetingtheCity’sneedforhousingpertheallocationdefinedintheRHNA.TheRHNAspecifiesquantifiedobjectivesfor five income categories: extremely low‐income households, very low‐income households, low‐incomehouseholds, moderate‐income households, and above moderate‐income households. The General PlanHousingElement also includesquantifiedobjectives for thenumberof newunits in each category; and itincludes Goals, Objectives Policies and Programs for supporting the development within each of thesecategories. Meeting, or even exceeding, the objectives within each classification, as well as for the totalnumberofhousingunits,isimportant.Increasedhousingsupplyleadstoincreasesinvacancyrates,whichinturnhelpstocontrolincreasesinhousingcosts;andprovidesmorehousingoptionsforthepopulation.Asnoted above, the 2013 – 2021Housing Element identifies a need for 82,002newhousingunits, ofwhich35,412 units, i.e. 43.2 percent of all units, would bemarketed at abovemoderate income levels. It alsoestablishes quantifiable objectives, including the provision of 59,559 new construction units, of which48,000unitswouldbeforabovemoderateincomehouseholds.UnderCaliforniastatelaw,everyjurisdictionisobligatedtoprovidehousingtomeetits“fairshare”oftheregionalneed.

TheProject’s650newhousingunitswouldhelptheCitymeetitsStatemandatedobligationsandcontributeto the available stock of housing supply in theCity. At the same time, theProjectwouldnot require thedemolitionofanyexistinghousingnorcausetheremovalofunitsfromnearbyareas.The650unitswould



represent0.8percentofthe82,002neededunitsidentifiedintheSCAGRHNAforthe2013to2021planningperiod;and1.1percentofthetargetobjectiveof59,599newconstructionunits.Theunitswouldexpandtheopportunityforpopulationtolocate/relocatetohighqualitytransitareasincreasingtheopportunitytoavailsuchpopulationofextremelywellservedpublictransitandwalkabilityopportunities.

(d) Consistency with the Regional/SCAG Policies

SCAG is taskedwith providing demographic projections for use by local agencies and public service andutility agencies. Regionalpolicies andgoals are achieved and future servicedemandsarebasedonSCAGprojections. Projections in the SCAG2016RTP/SCS serve as thebases fordemographic estimates in thisanalysis of Project consistencywith growthprojections. The findings regarding growth in the region areconsistentwiththemethodologiesprescribedbySCAGandreflectSCAGgoalsandprocedures.

SCAG data is periodically updated to reflect changes in development activity and provisions of localjurisdictions (e.g. zoning changes). Through this updating, agencies have advance information regardingchangesingrowththatmustbeaddressedinplanningfortheirprovisionofservices.NewerRTP/SCSshavebeenandwillcontinuetoaccountfortheincreaseinDowntowngrowththatiscurrentlyoccurring.Changesinthegrowthrateswouldbereflectedinthenewprojectionsforserviceandutilitiesplanningthroughthelong‐termtimehorizon.

Also,SCAGestablishespoliciespertainingtoregionalgrowthandefficientdevelopmentpatternstoreducedevelopment impactsontrafficcongestionandrelatedairqualityemissions. ThesepoliciesarediscussedfurtherinSection4.F,LandUseandPlanning,4.B.AirQualityand4.DGreenhouseGasEmissions.

The 2016 RTP/SCS includes policies to provide an integrated approach to expanding the region’stransportationsystem inconcertwith theencouragementof “SmartLandUse.” Smart landusestrategiesencouragewalking, biking, and transit use, thereby reducing vehicular demand. This is intended to savetravel time, reduce pollution, and improve health. SCAG has been working with subregions and localcommunitiestoincreasedevelopmentdensitiesandimprovethejobs/housingbalance.AcomponentoftheSCAGstrategyhasbeentofocusnewgrowthinHQTAs(i.e.thethreepercentoftotallandareaintheSCAGregionthatiswithinonehalfmileofafixedguidewaytransitstoporbustransitcorridor). ProvidingnewgrowthintheDowntownLosAngelesareaisanintegralcomponentofthisstrategy.

The Project’s development would support the attainment of the SCAG policies by providing increasedpopulationdensityandemploymentopportunitiesinanextremelywellservedHQTA.TheDowntownareaisthehuboftheCity’spublictransitsystemandtheprimaryhighdensitylocationintheCity. TheProjecthasaccesstotheMetroPicoStation,approximately0.26milesfromtheProjectSite,providingrailservicetotheBlueLineandtheExpoLine,andthe7thStreet/MetroCenterStation,approximately0.40milesfromtheProjectSiteandprovidingrailservicetotheBlue,Expo,Red,andPurpleLines;aswellasmultiplebusandshuttlelines,includingmultipleMetrobuslinesandtheDASHDowntownShuttleRoute.

Improving the jobs/housing balance is one tool for reducing vehiclemiles traveled. The ratio of jobs tohousing is an indicator of proximity between employment and residential locations for population in the



region.Thejobs/housingratiofortheentireregionisapproximately1.35.13Thatis,thereareapproximately1.35 jobs for eachhouseholdunit. Largevariations from this ratio in local communities indicate that thecommunitiesarehousingrich(i.e.bedroomcommunities)oremploymentrich. Suchcommunitiesrequirelongercommutingdistancesbetweenhomeandwork.Communitieswhoseratiosarecloserto1.35haveabalancebetweenresidentsandemployeeswithintheirboundaries.

Based on the 2016 employment and household estimates presented in Table 4.H‐2, above, the 2016jobs/housing ratio in the Central City Community Plan Area is approximately 7.5. The projected 2023estimate is5.4. Bothof theseestimates reflect theemployment richmakeupof thedowntownarea. ThereductionintheratiosuggestedintheSCAGprojectionsreflectsthetrendtowardincreasedhousinginthedowntownarea.Thistrendwillallowmoreopportunitiesforpeopletoresideandworkinnearproximity–therebysupportinggreateruseofpublictransitandbringingthejobs/housingratiointheDowntownareaintocloseralignmentwiththeregionalaverage.

BasedontheinformationinTable4.H‐3,above,theProject’sratioofnetnewjobstohousingunitswouldbe0.67. Thus, while proving additional employment opportunities, the Project would contribute a relativeincrease in households, with a jobs/housing ratio similar to that estimated for near term growth, thussupporting the anticipated trends; and SCAG efforts to improve the jobs/housing balance of localcommunitiesintheregion.

(e) Conclusions Regarding Consistency with Growth Provisions of Applicable Plans

Project implementationwouldcontributeto localandregionalgrowthpatternsthatareencouragedintheFramework Element, Central City Community Plan, City Center Redevelopment Plan and SCAG RTP/SCSpoliciesfordevelopmentthatreducesrelianceonindividualautomobiles,withrelatedlesseningofimpactson the environment. TheProjectwould contribute to the revitalizationof theDowntownarea, providingneeded housing stock and providing hotel rooms thatwould enhance the tourist services adjacent to theConventionandEntertainmentareas.Therefore,theProjectisconsistentwiththegrowthprovisionsoftheapplicableplans,andimpactsregardingplanconsistencywouldbelessthansignificant.

(4) Operations – Introduction of Unplanned Infrastructure

Threshold PH‐2 A project would have a significant impact if it introduced unplanned infrastructure oraccelerateddevelopmentinanundevelopedareathatwouldresultinasignificantadversephysicalchangeintheenvironment.

Impact Statement PH‐4: The Project is an infill development in an urban area with an establishedinfrastructuresystem.TheProjectwouldaddnonewinfrastructureotherthanthatneededtoservetheProjectSite.Impactsregardingunplannedgrowthduetotheprovisionofnewinfrastructurewouldbelessthansignificant.

13 SCAG, 2016‐2040 RTP/SCS, Demographics & Growth Forecast Appendix, Adopted April 2016. Based on 2015 employment of

8,006,000aspresentedinTable8,RegionalPopulationandEmploymentbyCounty,page18;and5,947,000householdsaspresentedinTable4,CharacteristicsofRegionalHouseholds,page8.



TheProjectwouldlinkwithandtie‐intoanexistinginfrastructuresystem.Newinfrastructurethatwouldberequired, e.g. service connections to local water and sewer systems or electrical transformation facilitieswouldbesized toserve theProject’sneeds. NonewroadwayswouldbecreatedasaProjectcomponent.WhiletheProjectisseekingtoincreasethecurrentFARlimitationfrom6:1touptoapproximately9.71,theaddedFARwouldcomefromexistingoff‐siteentitlementsviatheTFARprovisionsof theapplicableplansandtheLAMC.Therefore,theincreaseinFARatthislocationcorrespondstoafurtherlimitationofFARatanother location in the Community Plan area andwould not create additional growthwithin the area Asdiscussed in Section K.1,WaterSupply and in Section K.2,Wastewater, adequate water and wastewaterinfrastructurewouldbeavailabletoservetheProject.TheProjectwouldnotopenanewareacurrentlynotservedbyinfrastructurenoraddnewfacilitiesthatwouldencouragegrowth,nototherwiseplannedintheProjectvicinity.Impactsregardinggrowthassociatedwiththeprovisionofnewinfrastructurewouldbelessthansignificant.

e. Cumulative Impacts

ImpactStatementPH‐5: Cumulativegrowthwouldbeconsistentwith long‐termplannedgrowthwithintheCentralCityCommunityPlanareaand longertermSCAGgrowthprojectionsused forplanning futureservices and infrastructure. The cumulative projects considered in the analysis of cumulativedevelopmentrepresentabroadarrayofresidential,hotel,retail,andentertainmentdevelopmentsthatsupport the policies of the Central City Community Plan and Central City Redevelopment Plan.CumulativeimpactsregardingconsistencywithSCAGprojectionswouldbelessthansignificant.

(1) Cumulative Growth and SCAG Projections

ThecumulativeimpactanalysisaddressestheimpactsofknownandanticipateddevelopmentintheProjectvicinityincombinationwiththeproposedProject,withrespecttotheanticipatedamountanddistributionofpopulation, housing and employment. The 116 cumulative projects are listed in Table 3‐1 of Chapter 3,GeneralDescriptionofEnvironmentalSettingofthisDraftEIR.Outof116cumulativeprojects,86arelocatedwithintheCentralCityCommunityPlanarea.

Thecalculationofthenumberofhousingunits,population,andemployeesassociatedwiththecumulativeprojects is provided in AppendixH, TablesH‐3, H‐4, andH‐5 of this Draft EIR. A summary of the totalcumulativegrowth,thecumulativeprojectsincombinationwiththeproposedProjectisshowninTable4.H‐5,TotalCumulativeDevelopment. As indicated therein, within the Central City Community Plan area theProject plus cumulative projects would create a total of 23,370 housing units and generate 38,149 newresidents and27,114newemployees. The total cumulativedevelopment inclusiveof cumulativeprojectswithinandoutsideoftheCommunityPlanareais30,417housingunitswithapopulationof49,636peopleand30,653employees.

Table 4.H‐6, Cumulative Population, Housing and Employment Impacts, compares projected cumulativegrowthinclusiveoftheProjectto2040horizonyearprojectionsinthe2016RTP.Thecumulativeprojectsincludeabroadarrayofdevelopmentthatisprimarilyresidential,officeandmixedretailinnature.ItalsoincludesothermiscellaneoususesincludingtheEventCenter,acinema,andmuseum.



Table 4.H‐5

Total Cumulative Development

Development Housing Unitsb Populationb Employmentc

Community Plan Area

CumulativeProjectsa 22,720 37,089 26,676ProposedProject‐TotalBuild‐out 650 1,060 438

TotalCumulativeGrowth 23,370 38,149 27,114

All Cumulative Projects

CumulativeProjectsa 29,767 48,576 30,215ProposedProject‐TotalBuild‐out 650 1,060 438

TotalCumulativeGrowth 30,417 49,636 30,653

a A list of the Cumulative Projects is Provided in Table 3‐1 of Chapter 3 of this DEIR. b The tabulation of cumulative project housing units and calculation of associated population is presented

in Table H‐3 of Appendix H of this Draft EIR. c The tabulation of employment generation for the cumulative projects is presented in Tables H‐4 and H‐5

of Appendix H of this Draft EIR for the cumulative projects in the Community Plan area and for the full list of cumulative projects, respectively.

Source: PCR Services Corporation, 2016.

Table 4.H‐6

Cumulative Population, Housing and Employment Impacts

Cumulative Increasea SCAG Projected Growth Cumulative

Percentage of Growth

Population 2016‐2040ProjectionHorizon CentralCityCommunityPlanArea 38,149 94,265 40.5%CityofLosAngeles 49,636 678,187 7.3%

Households 2016‐2040ProjectionHorizon CentralCityCommunityPlanArea 23,370 55,654 42.0%CityofLosAngeles 30,417 306,887 9.9%

Employment

2016‐2040ProjectionHorizon CentralCityCommunityPlanArea 27,114 32,052 84.6%CityofLosAngeles 30,653 371,143 8.3%

a From Table 4.H‐5.

Source: PCR Services based on the SCAG 2016‐2040 RTP/SCS projections.



(i) Housing and Population Growth

AsindicatedinTable4.H‐6,thecumulativepopulationgrowthof38,149intheCommunityPlanareaisequalto40.5percentofthepopulationgrowthestimatedintheSCAGprojectionsfortheCommunityPlanareabythe2040horizonyear. The totalcumulativepopulationgrowth inclusiveofallof thecumulativeprojects(includingthoseoutsideoftheCommunityPlanarea)of49,636is7.3percentofCitywidepopulationgrowth.ThenewunitdevelopmentintheCommunityPlanareawouldrepresent42.0percentofthenewhouseholdsexpected in the Community Plan area; and the total cumulative 30,417 housing units is 9.9 percent ofexpectedhouseholdsCitywide.

The population and housing growth, with increases of 40.5 percent and 42.0 percent respectively aresubstantiallybelowtheestimatedgrowthestimatedtooccurintheCentralCityCommunityPlanarea.ThelargenumberofhousingunitsreflectsrenewedinterestandmarketforcesintheDowntownareathatfollowthe transformation of Downtown into more of a mixed use, residentially oriented community that isoccurringatabriskpace.ThepopulationandhousingcontributiontotheCitywidegrowthissubstantiallybelow the Citywide growth estimate. The amount of the increase at the City level suggests that theDowntown area is providing an opportunity for population to locate within the HQTA, thus reducingdemandsfordevelopmentislowerdensityareasoftheCity,andprovidegreaterefficiencyintheprovisionofservicesandinfrastructure.

Itshouldbenotedthattheestimateofcumulativedevelopmentisconservative,asitdoesnotfullyaccountforexistingdevelopmentthatwouldbereplaced,asopposedtonetnewdevelopment. Further, it is likelythat some of the cumulative projects may never be developed, and others would reach their buildoutcompletionwellintothefuture.Thecurrentpaceofdevelopmentwillberevisitedinthe2020RTP/SCSthatwill be published prior to the 2023 completion of the proposed Project; though SCAG projects growthbeyond2023.The2016‐2040RTP/SCShasdocumentedtheincreaseddevelopmenttrendsoccurringintheDowntownarea;andthrough itscoordinationwith theCity issupportingtheCity in itsefforts toplan forfuturegrowth.

(ii) Employment Growth

Thenumberofnewcumulativeemployeeswouldrepresent84.6percentoftheprojectednewemployeesinthe Community Plan area and 8.3 percent of the employment expected Citywide. These projections arewithin therangeof the2040projections. Employmentwithin theCity isconsideredbeneficial. TheLosAngeles County seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.9 percent in January 2016, and the Cityunemploymentrateof6.3percentwashigher.14

Added employmentwithin the Downtown (Community Plan) area is necessary to support the additionalgrowth in South Park entertainment and visitor venues. The job/housing ratio for the cumulativedevelopmentoccurringintheCommunityPlanareais1.16,whichreflectsahousingrichratioascomparedtothe1.35regionalaverageandthatiswellbelowthecurrentratioof7.5intheDowntownarea.Therefore,the additional employment would support and be consistent with continued reductions in the overallDowntownratio.

14 StateofCalifornia,EmploymentDevelopmentDepartment,LaborMarketDivision,March4,2016,MonthlyLaborForceData for

CitiesandCensusDesignatedPlaces(CDP),http://www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov.



Further,theemploymentwouldenhancetheavailabilityoftransitavailableworkplacesinsupportofCityandRegionalpoliciestoreducevehiclemilestraveled,withresultingcontributionstoenergyefficiencyandreduced impactson aper‐capitabasis. Theaddedemploymentwithin theDowntownareawouldabsorbnewjobsthatmightotherwiselocateinlowerdensityareasthatdonotprovidetheseadvantages.

Conclusions Regarding Growth Projections

Asnotedabove,theprojectedcumulativehousehold,populationandemploymentgrowthwouldbewithinthe2040SCAGprojectionsidentifiedinthe2016RTP/SCSandwouldnotbecumulativelysignificant. Thehousehold andpopulation growth,while reflecting high growth rates, are consistentwith currentmarketfactorsandpolicies intendedtodevelopDowntownasthetransitorientedcenterof theCity. ThecurrentrateswouldnotnecessarilycontinueoverthelongertermoftheRTP/SCShorizon.Thecumulativeincreaseinemploymentwhilecomprisinga largerproportionof theestimated2024 increasewouldbeconsideredbeneficial. The increase in employmentwouldaccommodateanexisting laborpool in thenear term,andofferemploymentinproximitytopublictransportationtoprovidereductionsinenvironmentalimpactsbycontributingtosustainabledevelopmentpatterns.

As described inmore detail below, the project’s employment supports the policies in applicable Plans toprovidedevelopmentpatterns thathelp improveefficiency in theprovisionofservicesand infrastructure.TheProject is an infill development located in anurbanized area that is servedby current infrastructure(e.g.,roadsandutilities)andcommunityservice facilities. AsdescribedinSection4.K.1WaterSupplyand4.K.2,WastewaterofthisDraftEIR,theProject’sonlyoff‐siteinfrastructureimprovementswouldconsistoftie‐instotheexistingutilitymain‐linesalreadyservingtheProjectarea.

(a) Discussion of Growth During Build‐Out Period

When interpolating the long term SCAG growth estimate into the 2016‐2023 time period, the estimatedpopulationincreaseintheCommunityPlanareawouldbe20,423,asreportedinTable4H‐2.Incontrast,theestimated cumulative population growthwithin the Community Plan area is anticipated to be 38,149. Atbuildout, the cumulative 23,370 housing units would be greater than the estimated 2016‐2023 growthincrementof11,880housingunits.Thecumulativeincreaseof27,114employeesatbuildoutisalsogreaterthantheSCAG2016‐2023growthincrementof12,335newemployees.

Forreasonsdiscussedabove,theshort‐termbuildoutyeargrowthanticipatedinSCAGprojectionsisnotanappropriatebenchmarkforcumulativedevelopmentinsmaller,localizedareas,whereyeartoyeargrowthtendstofluctuate.AnticipateddevelopmentwouldoccuroveralongertimeframebeyondProjectbuildout;year toyearvariations indevelopmentaverageoutover the longer termhorizonprojections,andcurrentgrowthwouldbeaccountedforinRTP/SCSupdatesthatwillbepreparedpriortocompletionoftheProject.However, the evaluations of cumulative impacts on public services and transportation in Chapter 4,Environmental Impact Analysis, conservatively assume that all of the cumulative projects would beconstructedby2023,eventhoughforthereasonsstatedhere,completionofallofthecumulativeprojectsby2023,likelywouldnotoccur.



(2) Impacts Regarding Cumulative Growth Provisions of Applicable Plans

ImpactStatementPH‐6:ThecumulativedevelopmentwouldprovideamixofusesthatsupportsencouragedgrowthintheDowntownareainabalancedmanner.ThedevelopmentwouldenhancetheDowntownareaas thehighdensity, focal centerofLosAngelesbest servedbypublic transit. Itwouldprovideneededhousingandbringthejobs/housingratiointocloseralignmentwiththeregionaljobs/housingratioandreflectaregionaldevelopmentpatternthatsupportreductionsinvehiclemilestraveled.Thetypesandamountsofdevelopmentwouldbeconsistentwiththoseanticipatedinapplicablepoliciesandgrowth projections. The cumulative developmentwould infill theDowntown area utilizing existinginfrastructure,improvedifneededtoaccommodatealreadyproposeddevelopment.

(a) Consistency with Central City Community Plan


Asdiscussedabove,theCentralCityCommunityPlanincludestwopopulationestimates.NeitherestablishesamaximumpopulationsizefortheCommunityPlanarea.TheCommunityPlancontainsanestimated2010populationof27,029. Thisdata isprovidedas a reference forCommunityPlan revision. Asnoted in thePlan,“[i]tneedstoberecognizedhowever,thatthesefiguresareonlybestestimatesandarederivedfromregionaldatawhicharedisaggregated to theCityand the community level. Population, jobs andhousingcouldgrowmorequickly,orslowly,thananticipateddependingoneconomictrends.”15ThedatadatesbacktoinformationintheFrameworkElementthatisbasedonanearly1990slooktowards2010. Thesecondpopulation estimate is an estimate of the population that might occur under the land designations andassociated assumptions regarding the development that would occur within each designation. Thatpopulationwasestimatedtobe34,765peoplewithinthecombinedresidentialandcommercialarea. Thisvalue was provided for information and is based on land use activities and designations from the early2000s.

The SCAG estimated 2016 population in the Central City Community Plan area is 47,294 people, and thecumulativedevelopmentsaccount forapotential increaseof38,149. This increase ingrowthoverearlierestimates reflects better than expected achievement in the attainment of City and regional policies togenerate transit oriented development and revitalize theDowntown area. The growth is consistentwithearlierintentionsfortherevitalizationofDowntown,butexceedsthen‐imaginedexpectations.Asdiscussedfurtherbelow,thegrowthreflectsnewmasstransitinfrastructureinthedowntownarea;policiestocreate“smart land use”with densified transit oriented development; and the implementation of the conventioncenter,StaplesCenter,andtheEntertainmentCenterasstimulantstomarketorienteddevelopment.

SCAG’slongertermpopulationprojectionsarebasedonmonitoringofandrespondingtochangesinshort‐termdevelopmenttrends;andincorporatingchanges into fouryear intervalupdates torepresentthebestdata for planning services and infrastructure to meet the needs of the future. As discussed above, thecumulativepopulation,housingandemploymentprojectionsarewithintheSCAGprojectionsfor2040. Assuch,thecumulativedevelopmentisaccountedforinthepopulationprojectionsthatserveasthebasisforprovidingservicesandinfrastructure.

15 CityofLosAngeles,CentralCommunityPlan,pageII‐3.




TheCentral CityCommunityPlan includespolicies andobjectives that addressdevelopmentof the entireCommunity Plan area. Objectives and policies cited above and pertaining to the Project have applicationbeyondtheimmediateProjectvicinity.Further,alargerdevelopmentprogramiscalledforinObjective2‐1andObjective2‐2.ThepurposeofObjective2‐1is“ToimproveCentralCity’sCompetitivenessasalocationforoffices,business,retailandindustry.”ThepurposeofObjective2‐2is“ToretaintheexistingretailbaseinCentralCity.”

Thecumulativedevelopmentincludesabalancedmixofresidential,retail,andofficeuses,aswellasotherusessuchasaschool,museum,andadditionalofentertainmentuses. ThisdevelopmentwouldaddtotheDowntown area in a synergistic manner, providing a balance of uses that enhance walkability and fullyrealize the development of Downtown as a focal, high‐density area of the City as envisioned in theFramework Element, Community Plan, and recent City efforts to promote development patterns thatwillreducevehiclemilestraveled,providingrelativereductions inthe increase inenergyconsumptionandairquality and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as convenience for commuters as accounted for in theGreenLAandClimateLAactions.

(b) Consistency with the City Center Redevelopment Plan


Asdescribedabove, theCityCenterRedevelopmentPlan is tied to theGeneralPlan,CommunityPlan,andotherapplicableregulationsastheyexistedatthetimeofthePlanadoptionorwouldbeamendedand/orsupplemented from time to time. Therefore, its land use, development, and design standards are still ineffecttotheextentthattheyarenotsupersededbyupdatestootherplansandordinances.

As discussed above, the Redevelopment Plan refers to limitations on the number of buildings in theRedevelopmentPlanarea,7,000(Section510)andthenumberofdwellingunits,approximately32,000units(Section511),basedonpreviousconsiderationsregardingthecontentsoftheGeneralandCommunityPlans.However,asalsodiscussedabove,thelandusedesignationsidentifiedintheRedevelopmentPlandefertothelandusedesignationsoftheCommunityPlan,withtheCommunityPlanruling.

It is estimatedabove that theentireCommunityPlanareahasapproximately25,238households in2016.Whencombinedwiththeincreaseincumulativehouseholdsof23,370unitsthetotalnumberofunitsfortheentire Community Plan area, 48,608 units, would be greater than the 32,000 units described in theRedevelopment Plan as occurring within its area. While the number of residential units for the entireCommunityPlanareawouldhavemoreunitsthanidentifiedfortheRedevelopmentPlanarea,muchoftheexistingandproposedcumulativehousingdevelopmentislocatedoutsideoftheRedevelopmentPlanarea.Most notably, the largest amount of newer housing inDowntownhas been in highdensity developmentsoccurring in a corridor to thewest of the Redevelopment Plan area; andmany of the cumulative projecthousingdevelopmentsarelocatedoutsideoftheRedevelopmentPlanarea.

The SCAG 2040 projections extend beyond the Redevelopment Project end date of 2032 and account forsubstantially more housing development in the entire Community Plan area, inclusive of the smallerRedevelopmentPlanarea.Thetotalnumberof48,608householdsissubstantiallylessthantheSCAG2040estimate of 80,891 households (approximately 60 percent). Likewise, interpolating a SCAG household



projection for the 2032 Redevelopment Program end year indicates that there are 60,292 householdsaccountedforintheSCAGprojectionsthatareusedforplanningfutureservices.16Again,thisissubstantiallygreaterthanthe32,000unitsdescribedintheRedevelopmentPlan.


TheabovediscussionhasidentifiedtheobjectivesoftheRedevelopmentPlanarea,whoseoverlyingpurposeistopreventblightandprovideavehicleforprivateinvestmentintheDowntownarea.KeyobjectivesrefertoallowingtheCentralCitytoacceptalargeshareoftheregionalgrowth,creatinganimageoftheCentralCity as themajor center of the Los Angeles regions and creating amodern, efficient and balanced urbanenvironmentforpeople,includingafullrangeofaround‐the‐clockactivities.Thebalancedmixofcumulativedevelopmentwould add to theDowntown area in a synergisticmanner, providing a balance of uses thatenhancewalkability and fully realize the development ofDowntown as focal, high density, transit servedareaoftheCity.

(c) Consistency with the General Plan Housing Element

Aspreviouslydiscussed,thepurposeoftheGeneralPlanHousingElementistoprovideguidanceformeetingtheCity’sneedforhousing,particularlywithrespecttotheallocationdefinedintheRHNA,whichidentifiesaneed for 82,002 new housing units. The proposed cumulative housing units (30,417) would provide asubstantialamountoftheneededhousingstock,approximately37percent.ThiswillsupporttheCity’sneedto meet its housing obligations, pursuant to California state law, that every jurisdiction is obligated toprovidehousingtomeetits“fairshare”oftheregionalneed.Further,theaddedhousingwouldexpandtheopportunityforpopulationtolocate/relocatetohighqualitytransitareasincreasingtheopportunitytoavailsuchpopulationofextremelywellservedpublictransitandwalkabilityopportunities.

(d) Consistency with the Regional/SCAG Policies

SCAG is taskedwith providing demographic projections for use by local agencies and public service andutility agencies. Regionalpolicies andgoals are achieved and future servicedemandsarebasedonSCAGprojections.SCAGprojectionshaveservedasthebasesfordemographicestimatesinthisanalysisofProjectconsistencywithgrowthprojections. The findingsregardinggrowth in theregionareconsistentwith themethodologiesprescribedbySCAGandreflectSCAGgoalsandprocedures.

SCAG data is periodically updated to reflect changes in development activity and provisions of localjurisdictions (e.g. zoning changes). Through this updating, service agencies have advance informationregarding changes in growth that must be addressed in planning for their provision of services. NewerRTP/SCSs have been andwill continue to account for the increase inDowntowngrowth that is currentlyoccurring. Changes in thegrowthrateswouldbereflected in thenewprojections forserviceandutilitiesplanningthroughthelong‐termtimehorizon.

Also,SCAGestablishespoliciespertainingtoregionalgrowthandefficientdevelopmentpatternstoreducedevelopmentimpactsontrafficcongestionandrelatedairqualityemissions,includingtheencouragementof”smart land strategies to encouragewalking, biking, and transituse, thereby reducing vehiculardemand.This is intended to save travel time, reduce pollution, and improve health. The cumulative development

16 AsindicatedinTable4.h‐2above,the2023estimateisfor37,118householdsandthe2040estimateisfor80,891households.From

2023,therearenineyearsuntil2032and17yearsuntil2040.((9/17)*(80,891–37,118))+37,118=60,292.



would support the attainment of the SCAG policies by providing increased population density andemploymentopportunitiesinanextremelywellservedHQTA.TheDowntownareaisthehuboftheCity’spublictransitsystemandtheprimaryhighdensitylocationintheCity.

The cumulative development would also contribute to improvements in the jobs/housing balance in theregion.Asnotedabove,thejobs/housingratiofortheentireregionisapproximately1.35;andtheextenttowhich local communities approach that ratio is a measure of development patterns that support work‐housingavailabilityandreducedvehiclemilestraveled.

Based on the 2016 employment and household estimates presented in Table 4.H‐2, above, the 2016jobs/housingratiointheCentralCityCommunityPlanAreaisapproximately7.5.Thejobs/housingratioofthecumulativedevelopmentintheCommunityPlanareais1.16.Itrepresentsabalanceofdevelopmentthatthat is housing rich as compared to the regional average of 1.35 and therefore as an added increment ofgrowth supports apopulationdistribution thatoffers thegreatestopportunity forworkers to resideneartheirplaceofemployment. WhencombinedwiththecurrenthousingandemploymentvaluesreflectedinTable 4.H‐2 above, 25,238units and189,627 jobs respectively, the resulting jobs/housing ratiowouldbe4.46.17 This would bring the Downtown area into closer alignment with the regional ratio and reflect itemerging status as amixed‐use community as opposed to awork center requiring long commutes. Thejobs/housingratioforthecumulativedevelopmentfromallofthecumulativeprojectsis1.01. ThiswouldalsosuggestadevelopmentpatternthatsupportsreductionsoftheDowntownareaasaworkonlyplace,andamovetowardsamoreoptimaljobs/housingratio.

(e) Conclusions Regarding Consistency with Growth Provisions of Applicable Plans

ThedevelopmentofthecumulativeprojectswouldcontributetolocalandregionalgrowthpatternsthatareencouragedintheFrameworkElement,CentralCityCommunityPlan,CityCenterRedevelopmentPlan,andSCAG RTP/SCS policies for development that reduces reliance on individual automobiles, with relatedlessening of impacts on the environment. The cumulative development would contribute to therevitalization of the Downtown area, as a balanced regional center, providing needed housing stock.Therefore,thecumulativedevelopmentisconsistentwiththegrowthprovisionsoftheapplicableplans,andimpactsregardingplanconsistencywouldbelessthansignificant.

4. MITIGATION MEASURES

Project impacts regarding population, housing and employment would be less than significant and nomitigationmeasures are required. The proposed Project includes project design features andmitigationmeasurestoreduceitsimpactsontransportationinfrastructureandpublicservicesthatareassociatedwithgrowthimpacts.ThesedesignfeaturesandmitigationmeasuresarediscussedintheanalysesofcumulativeimpactsfortheenvironmentaltopicsevaluatedinChapter4.0,EnvironmentalImpactAnalysis.

5. LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE AFTER MITIGATION

Project impacts regarding population, housing and employment are less than significant. No mitigationmeasuresarerequired.

17 (189,627jobsin2016+27,114newjobs)/(25,238householdsin2016+23,370newhouseholds)=4.46

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