YIMBY LA Housing Report Card - Q2 2026
July 23, 2026
SummaryState housing reforms continued to inch forward in Q2 2026, while local policy friction persisted, especially around Measure ULA. 47%) weighed on the market.
Summary
State housing reforms continued to inch forward in Q2 2026, while local policy friction persisted, especially around Measure ULA. Permitting activity held roughly steady as high interest rates (at 6.47%) weighed on the market. Los Angeles responded to key state laws with local implementation ordinances, including for SB 79 (Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit), effective July 1, and ongoing SB 684/1123 (Starter Home Revitalization Act) rollout for small-lot subdivisions up to 10 units. And the Citywide Housing Incentive Program (CHIP) continued to gain traction with 30,000 units moving forward attributable to its policy teeth.
Report Card
- Median rent holds at $2,068: The citywide median asking rent stood at $2,068 in June 2026, down 1.4% year-over-year and roughly flat month-over-month (Apartment List).
- Median sale price holds at $1.0M: The City of Los Angeles recorded a median sale price of $1.0M over the three months ending May 2026, down 0.7% year-over-year (Redfin). LA County’s median was $937,000, up 0.8% over the same period.
- Flat year-over-year sales at 4,946: Flat to slightly declining. In May 2026, 4,946 homes sold in the City of LA, a fractional drop from 4,962 a year prior (Redfin). Southern California regional sales were down 0.4% year-over-year, even as statewide volume rose 5.1% (CAR/MyNewsLA).
- Building permits rise to 1,800 range, dominated by multifamily: City-level monthly permits ran in the 1,000 to 1,800 range through Q2 (Open Data), with multifamily continuing to dominate the pipeline. The pace shows stabilization from earlier lows but is not enough to close the city’s 6th Cycle RHNA target of 457k units, or nearly 5k units per month for eight years, through 2029.
State and Local Zoning Reforms – SB79, SB1123
SB 79, the Abundant and Affordable Homes Near Transit Act, took effect statewide on July 1, 2026. In response, the LA City Council that uses the bill’s built-in flexibility to delay full implementation across much of the city until 2030. The ordinance permanently excludes industrial employment hubs and sites more than a one-mile walk from stations, and temporarily exempts lower-opportunity areas, historic resources, and very high fire hazard zones. A companion Low-Rise Ordinance adds modest density (4–16 units) in select neighborhoods, helping the city meet the minimum zoning capacity required to qualify for the pause.
