Adaptive Reuse in Los Angeles
- Citlalli Castillo
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
About Adaptive Reuse
Something very exciting is happening in the Los Angeles building environment—something that will shape the future of projects and housing across the city.
The new Citywide Adaptive Reuse Ordinance, ARO 2.0, became effective on February 1, 2026. In today’s post, we’ll look at:
What Adaptive Reuse is
The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance in Los Angeles—at a glance
The benefits and opportunities this new ordinance brings to the city
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. What Is Adaptive Reuse?
Adaptive Reuse is the practice of taking an existing building and giving it a new purpose—one different from what it was originally designed for. (1)
When we design a building, its intended use is the first factor that shapes nearly every major decision: the program, room sizes, circulation, regulatory requirements, and even the budget. A hospital, a church, a mall, and a single‑family residence each have fundamentally different needs. Even when two building types share similarities, the use still drives the project from start to finish.
Changing a building’s use means carefully analyzing the existing structure—its constraints, opportunities, and character—and comparing it to the needs of the new program. Creativity and compromise are essential. Successful Adaptive Reuse projects often rely on innovation and can become iconic buildings that help revitalize entire neighborhoods and cities.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The Adaptive Reuse Ordinance in Los Angeles— at a glance.
Los Angeles adopted its first Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (ARO) in 1999. That ordinance enabled the creation of more than 12,000 housing units in Downtown alone and positioned Los Angeles as a national leader in reusing existing buildings.
The original ARO focused on converting underutilized buildings constructed before July 1, 1974, into new housing within Downtown. This policy played a major role in shaping the Downtown Los Angeles we know today.
Today, the city faces a different set of challenges—many shaped by the post‑pandemic economy and the ongoing housing crisis. In response, Los Angeles City Planning has reimagined its adaptive reuse policies.
ARO 2.0 includes the following key updates:
Reduce permitting burdens for converting existing non‑residential buildings into housing.
Expand adaptive reuse incentives beyond Downtown to all areas of Los Angeles.
Allow buildings at least 15 years old to change use through a by‑right or administrative approval process.
Support greater design flexibility and broaden the range of available incentives.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Benefits and Opportunities for Los Angeles
Reduced carbon emissions. Even highly efficient new buildings carry an upfront carbon “debt” from construction that can take decades to offset. Reusing or retrofitting existing buildings significantly reduces that impact.
Support for housing creation. The ordinance aims to streamline the production of urgently needed housing units across the city.
Revitalization of underused buildings. By reducing the number of empty or underutilized structures, adaptive reuse can strengthen neighborhoods and foster community.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Adaptive Reuse projects can vary in size.
Garage conversions to ADUs are among the
best examples of adaptive reuse projects that
have become highly popular in the last decade.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you curious about Adaptive Reuse, or do you have a property in mind for a change-of-use? We would love to hear from you! Send your questions or suggestions for a blog post about the building environment, and we will try to answer them!
Citlalli
The greenest building is the one already built
-Architect Carl Elefante
--------------------------------------------------------------------
References:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Citlalli is an architect and a mom who enjoys finding the extraordinary around us and understanding what makes each person thrive.
She believes that art and good design should be accessible, and her motivation is to help build a better world for future generations by making architectural services more accessible.
She has worked on residential and commercial projects for 20 years.
Comments