Governor’s Veto Delays LA’s Progress on Adaptive Reuse
Assembly Bill 2910 was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom this week.
What You Need to Know
Governor Newsom vetoed AB 2910, which aimed to help convert commercial buildings into housing in Los Angeles. The bill would have allowed the city to create its own building rules for these conversions while following local zoning and safety standards. Refer to our article on the frontline for more information on the bill.
Governor Newsom gave two reasons for his veto:
- Overlap with other efforts: AB 529, passed in 2023, requires a review of building rules for converting commercial spaces into housing. The review will be done by December 2025, so Newsom argues AB 2910 is unnecessary.
- Budget concerns: He also says the Building Standards Commission lacks the resources to handle the extra work AB 2910 would create.
How It Impacts You
This veto is a setback for property managers and service providers. AB 2910 would have made it easier to convert commercial buildings into housing and sped up the process. Now, property owners must continue dealing with complex state regulations.
Governor Newsom claims AB 529 is addressing the issue. However, AB 529 only requires recommendations by the end of 2025.
Those recommendations for adaptive reuse building standards would then need to be proposed for adoption by the California Building Standards Commission. With no clear time for when they would have to approve anything.
So, property owners are likely looking at years of delays before any real change happens.
Stay Connected
This veto means more delays for adaptive reuse projects, despite the need for housing in LA. BOMA/GLA will keep fighting for policies that support growth and adaptive reuse.
Stay connected with BOMA on the Frontline for updates on legislation and advocacy efforts.
