ATTACHMENT NO. 8
CULVER CITY DENSITY BONUS USER GUIDE
Background
This User Guide outlines the development allowances provided under the Culver City Density Bonus Ordinance (DBO) , Chapter 17.580 of the Municipal Code , and how it interacts with Government Code Section 65915, commonly referred to as State Density Bonus Law (SDBL) . The user guide is not intended to be a complete description or a substitute for the laws themselves, and is for informational purposes only.
The SDBL was adopted in 1979 to address California’s affordable housing needs. As originally enacted, the SDBL sought to increase the production of affordable housing by requiring local agencies to grant a density increase over the otherwise maximum eligible density. The law has been amended over time to: (1) to require progressively more “concessions or incentives” and “waivers” in addition to a density bonus and (2) to make it easier to get concessions, incentives, and waivers.
Additionally, the City has adopted a DBO which updates the City’s existing Density Bonus regulations1, and builds upon SDBL by providing enhanced local incentives to encourage the production of affordable housing.
The Culver City DBO introduces two new types of bonuses:
1. Tier Density Bonuses , which intensify existing State bonuses and increase them by degrees based on the project’s proximity to high quality transit.
2. Community Benefit Density Bonuses , which incentivize projects to improve overall quality of life for residents by granting bonuses for projects that include (but is not limited to) workforce housing, larger units, and public open space.
Any housing development that proposes five or more units and incorporates at least one of the density bonus categories described in detail below would be eligible for a density bonus.
1 Chapter 17.580:Density Bonuses And Other Bonus Incentives. https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/culvercity/latest/culvercity_ca/0-0-0-57128
2 Tier Density Bonus
Any residential or mixed -use project that provide s more affordable units than the minimum State require ment can increase its density beyond what the State already allows. Bonuses are divided into tiers, depending on proximity to transit and whether they provide 50, 75, or 100 percent more affordable units than the State minimum requirements. There are 4 Density Bonus tiers, summarized in the table below. Figure 1 shows what parts of Culver City are eligible for which Tier Bonuses. If a project is located in an eligible area, Flowchart 1 can be used to determine which Tier Density Bonus it could quality for.
Table 1. Tier Density Bonus requirements
Tier Name Transit proximity
requirement Affordable Units Requirement Local Bonus
Tier 1: State
Minimums
None Must fulfill the requirements of California
Density Bonus Law.2
None
Tier 2:
Enhanced
State
Minimums
None Projects must qualify for a State Density Bonus
and provide additional Affordable Units
equal to at least 50% of the state-required
minimum percentage for the corresponding
income level.
20% of the minimum
percentage required under
California Density Bonus Law
for the applicable affordability
category.
Tier 3: High-
Quality Transit
Areas
Within a half-mile of
a High-Quality
Transit Corridor
(HQTC)3
Projects must qualify for a State Density Bonus
and provide additional Affordable Units
equal to at least 75% of the state-required
minimum percentage for the corresponding
income level.
30% of the minimum
percentage required under
California Density Bonus Law
for the applicable affordability
category.
Tier 4: Culver
City Transit
Priority Area
Within a Culver City
Transit Priority Area
(TPA)4
Projects must qualify for a State Density Bonus
and provide additional Affordable Units
equal to at least 100% of the state-required
minimum percentage for the corresponding
income level.
40% of the minimum
percentage required under
California Density Bonus Law
for the applicable affordability
category.
2 Per California Code, GOV 65915
3 A high-quality transit area is any parcel partially or wholly within one half-mile of a well-serviced transit stop or a transit corridor with 15-minute or less service frequency during peak commute hours, as determined by the Southern California Association of Governments. 4 Culver City Transit Priority Areas are all parcels which are partially or wholly within half a mile of the geographical center of the following locations as determined by the City: Culver City Metro Station, La Cienega Metro Station, Sepulveda/Venice Intersection, Westfield-Culver City Transit Center.
3 Figure 1. Tier Density Bonus Eligibility Map
4 Flowchart 1. How to Determine if a Project is Eligible for a Tier Density Bonus
5 Community Benefit Density Bonuses
Projects that qualify for and implement Tier 2, 3, or 4 bonuses are also eligible for Community Benefit Bonuses. These bonuses are granted based on the project's incorporation of workforce housing, units with three or more bedrooms, child day care facilities, public open spaces, or neighborhood commercial spaces. Summaries of these bonuses are provided in the table below.
Table 2. Community Benefit Density Bonuses
Community Benefit Bonus Requirements Bonus
Workforce Housing
Bonus
Projects restricting at least 10% of their
base units to households earning
between 80 percent and 140 percent of
the AMI.
5% base density bonus.
Three or More
Bedroom Unit Bonus
Projects that designate at least 11% of
total units as three or more bedrooms.
One percent for each additional percentage
above 10% of the units that are 3 or more
bedrooms with a maximum bonus of 5
percent.
Child Day Care
Facility Bonus
Projects that include a dedicated, fully
licensed Child Day Care Facility of at
least 500 square feet.
Density bonus equal to State bonus plus the
square footage of the Child Day Care Facility..
Public Open Space
Bonus
Projects that include at least 3,000 square
feet of public open space.
One unit per 1,000 square feet of eligible public
open space, up to 10 units.
Neighborhood-
Oriented Commercial
Bonus
Projects that include at least 1,000 square
feet of Neighborhood-Oriented
Commercial space.
One unit per 1,000 square feet of eligible
Neighborhood-Oriented Commercial Space,
up to 5 units.
Bus Shelter Bonus Projects that install a new bus shelter (or shelters) or maintain an existing bus
shelter to City standards.
2 units maximum regardless of the number of
bus stops required of the project.
6 Flowchart 2. How to determine if a project is eligible for a Community Benefit Bonus
7 How to calculate the bonuses
Bonuses are calculated in the following order:
1. Calculate and apply the State bonuses as required by State Law.
2. Calculate and apply the Tier Density Bonus to the base units, if applicable.
3. Calculate and apply the Community Benefit Density Bonus to the base units, if applicable.
Note that each type of bonus is calculated and applied to the base units independent of each other. Local tier and community benefits bonuses only apply to base units, not bonus units. Also, the local bonuses do not compound or multiply each other or State bonuses.
Also, projects in the “Mixed-Use Corridor 1” (MU-1) and “Mixed-Use Corridor 2” (MU-2) zones that qualify for any Tier Density Bonus receive an increased base density to 65 dwelling units per acre.
Flowchart 3 identifies the process for calculating density bonuses.
8 Flowchart 3. How to calculate Tier and Community Benefit Bonuses
9 Waivers and Concessions
Developers may request waivers and/or concessions under the Culver City Density Bonus Ordinance to increase the feasibility of housing projects. These tools allow flexibility in meeting zoning and development standards while promoting housing production.
Waivers
Waivers from Development Standards are available to address zoning or architectural requirements that would otherwise physically prevent a project from being constructed at the permitted density or with the approved incentives. Developers must demonstrate that a waiver is necessary for the physical feasibility of the project. Common waiver requests include reduced lot sizes, increa sed building height or lot coverage, and reduced street standards or building separation requirements.
Concessions
In addition to State Density Bonus Law concessions, the Culver City DBO provides local concessions for projects that meet specific criteria. Tier 2 –4 projects are eligible for one additional concession, and 100 percent affordable projects are eligible for two additional concessions. Concessions may apply to various development standards, fees, or other requirements that, if applied, make the project’s affordable housing construction cost prohibitive. The City cannot require a developer to submit financial data that proves a concession is necessary.
Affordability Restrictions
Affordability restrictions are established by the City of Culver City, state, and/or federal law to ensure that Affordable Housing Units remain accessible to lower -income households over time. These restrictions limit the rents for rental units and the sales prices for ownership units as follows:
• Rental Units: Must remain affordable to Acutely Low -, Extremely Low-, Very Low-, or Low-Income households for a minimum of 55 years. Rent restrictions are secured through a regulatory agreement recorded against the property. • Ownership Units: Must remain affordable to Moderate -Income households for a minimum of 45 years. Resale controls are implemented through recorded resale restrictions, deeds of trust, or similar mechanisms.
Applying for a bonus
Requests for bonuses pursuant to the Culver City DBO are made as part of the existing application process for a residential or mixed-use development project. Generally, no additional discretionary approvals are required for projects that quali fy under the Local Culver City DBO. Exceptions include projects which request five or more waivers.
To apply, the developer generally needs to provide the following items in addition to items required for State bonuses:
• An Affordable Housing Plan (AHP), which details the layout, affordability levels, location, phasing, compliance, and marketing strategies for affordable units.
10 • An Affordable Housing Agreement (AHA), which is a contract to ensure the units meet affordability requirements , and details things like unit production, location, and annual monitoring.
• A narrative and justification for any waivers, concessions, or incentives. • Additional documentation is required if the project plans to utilize the Child Day Care Facility, Public Open Space, or Neighborhood-Oriented Commercial Local Bonuses. • A Senior Housing Agreement is required for projects which utilize a Senior Citizen housing bonus.
• This list is not comprehensive, and additional documentation may be needed.
11 Appendix A. Example Projects
Example 1. 0.5-acre development zoned RHD with 8% very low income units, outside High Quality Transit Area.
Step 1. Determine base density.
• Located in RHD Zone, which allows density up to 29.05 du/ac. The project site is
0.5 acres.
• 15 base units.
Step 2. Calculate State Density Bonus5.
• The project is dedicating 8% of units to VLI households, and is eligible for a 27.5% base density bonus.
• +5 unit bonus.
Step 3. Calculate Tier Density Bonus.
• The project is outside a high-quality transit area, so it qualifies for either Tier 1 or Tier
2. • The project exceeds State minimum requirements for VLI income units by at least 50%. Therefore, it qualifies for Tier 2, and received an additional 4% base density bonus.
• +1 unit bonus.
Step 4. Calculate Community Benefit Bonus.
• This project does not provide any additional Community Benefits, and does not qualify for a Community Benefit Bonus.
Final results
• 21 total units.
• 6 additional units (5 from State Bonuses, 1 from Tier 2 Bonus). • 2 VLI units.
5 California Code, GOV 65915.
12 Example 2. 1.5-acre development zoned MU-1 with 18% low income units and 10,000 square feet of Public Open Space within a High-Quality Transit Area.
Step 1. Determine base density.
• Located in MU-1 Zone, which allows density up to 65 du/ac. The project site is 1.5 acres.
• 98 base units.
Step 2. Calculate State Density Bonus.
• The project is dedicating 18% of base units to LI households, and is eligible for a 32% base density bonus.
• +32 unit bonus.
Step 3. Calculate Tier Density Bonus.
• The project is with a high-quality transit area, so it could qualify for Tier 3. • The project exceeds State minimum requirements for LI income units by at least 75%. Therefore, it qualifies for Tier 3, and receives an additional 6% base density bonus.
• +6 unit bonus.
Step 4. Calculate Community Benefit Bonus.
• This project fulfills a Tier Density Bonus requirement. • This project provides 10,000 square feet of public open space, and qualifies for one unit per 1,000 square feet of open space.
• +10 unit bonus.
Final results
• 146 total units.
• 98 du/ac.
• 48 additional units (32 from State Bonuses, 6 from Tier 3 Bonuses, 10 from Community Benefit Bonuses).
• 18 income-restricted units.
13 Example 3. 0.85-acre development zoned MU-1 with 10% very low income units, 10% workforce units, 11% units are 3 or more bedrooms, and within half a mile of Culver City Station.
Step 1. Determine base density.
• Located in MU-1 Zone, which allows density up to 65 du/ac. The project site is 0.85 acres.
• 56 base units.
Step 2. Calculate State Density Bonus.
• The project is dedicating 10% of base units to VLI households, and is eligible for a
32.5% base density bonus.
• +19 unit bonus.
Step 3. Calculate Tier Density Bonus.
• The project is with a half -mile of a Culver City Transit Priority Area (Culver City Station), so it could qualify for Tier 3 or 4.
• The project exceeds State minimum requirements for VLI income units by at least 100%. Therefore, it qualifies for Tier 4, and receives an additional 8% base density bonus.
• +5 unit bonus.
Step 4. Calculate Community Benefit Bonus.
• This project fulfills a Tier Density Bonus requirement. • This project provides 10% workforce units, and qualifies for a 5% base density bonus.
• This project provides at least 11% of units with 3 or more bedrooms, and qualifies for a 1% base density bonus.
• +4 unit bonus.
Final results
• 84 total units.
• 99 du/ac.
• 28 additional units (19 from State Bonuses, 5 from Tier 4 Bonuses, 4 from Community Benefit Bonuses).
• 12 income-restricted units.
14 Appendix B. Graphs to Aid Tier
Density Bonus Calculations
The following tables may be used to estimate the Affordable Unit Requirements and Bonuses percentages for projects which utilize different Tier Density Bonuses.
Table 1. Aid for calculating Very Low Income Tier Bonuses State Affordable
Unit
Requirements
State VLI
Density
Bonus
Tier 2 Density
Bonus (20% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
2 + State
Bonus
Tier 3 Density
Bonus (30% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
3 + State
Bonus
Tier 4 Density
Bonus (40% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
4 + State
Bonus
5.00% 20.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
6.00% 22.50% NA NA NA NA NA NA
6.25% 22.50% NA NA NA NA NA NA
7.00% 25.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
7.50% 25.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
8.00% 27.50% +4.00% 31.50 NA NA NA NA
9.00% 30.00% +4.00% 34.00 +6.00% 36.00% NA NA
10.00% 32.50% +4.00% 36.50 +6.00% 38.50% +8.00% 40.50%
11.00% 35.00% +4.00% 39.00 +6.00% 41.00% +8.00% 43.00%
12.00% 38.75% +4.00% 42.75 +6.00% 44.75% +8.00% 46.75%
13.00% 42.50% +4.00% 46.50 +6.00% 48.50% +8.00% 50.50%
14.00% 46.25% +4.00% 50.25 +6.00% 52.25% +8.00% 54.25%
15.00% 50.00% +4.00% 54.00 +6.00% 56.00% +8.00% 58.00%
Table 2. Aid for calculating Low Income Tier Bonuses
State Affordable
Unit
Requirements
State VLI
Density
Bonus
Tier 2 Density
Bonus (20% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
2 + State
Bonus
Tier 3 Density
Bonus (30% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
3 + State
Bonus
Tier 4 Density
Bonus (40% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
4 + State
Bonus
10.00% 20.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
11.00% 21.50% NA NA NA NA NA NA
12.00% 23.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
13.00% 24.50% NA NA NA NA NA NA
14.00% 26.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
15.00% 27.50% +4.00% 31.50% NA NA NA NA
16.00% 29.00% +4.00% 33.00% NA NA NA NA
17.00% 30.50% +4.00% 34.50% NA NA NA NA
18.00% 32.00% +4.00% 36.00% +6.00% 38.00% NA NA
19.00% 33.50% +4.00% 37.50% +6.00% 39.50% NA NA
20.00% 35.00% +4.00% 39.00% +6.00% 41.00% +8.00% 43.00%
21.00% 38.75% +4.00% 42.75% +6.00% 44.75% +8.00% 46.75%
22.00% 42.50% +4.00% 46.50% +6.00% 48.50% +8.00% 50.50%
15 23.00% 46.25% +4.00% 50.25% +6.00% 52.25% +8.00% 54.25%
24.00% 50.00% +4.00% 54.00% +6.00% 56.00% +8.00% 58.00% Table 3. Aid for calculating Moderate Income Tier Bonuses State Affordable
Unit
Requirements
State VLI
Density
Bonus
Tier 2 Density
Bonus (20% of
minimum State
Bonus) Total Tier 2 +
State Bonus
Tier 3 Density
Bonus (30% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
3 + State
Bonus
Tier 4
Density
Bonus
(40% of
minimu
m State
Bonus)
Total Tier
4 + State
Bonus
10.00% 5.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
11.00% 6.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
12.00% 7.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
13.00% 8.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
14.00% 9.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
15.00% 10.00% +1.00% 11.00% NA NA NA NA
16.00% 11.00% +1.00% 12.00% NA NA NA NA
17.00% 12.00% +1.00% 13.00% NA NA NA NA
18.00% 13.00% +1.00% 14.00% +1.50% 14.50% NA NA
19.00% 14.00% +1.00% 15.00% +1.50% 15.50% NA NA
20.00% 15.00% +1.00% 16.00% +1.50% 16.50% +2.00% 17.00%
21.00% 16.00% +1.00% 17.00% +1.50% 17.50% +2.00% 18.00%
22.00% 17.00% +1.00% 18.00% +1.50% 18.50% +2.00% 19.00%
23.00% 18.00% +1.00% 19.00% +1.50% 19.50% +2.00% 20.00%
24.00% 19.00% +1.00% 20.00% +1.50% 20.50% +2.00% 21.00%
25.00% 20.00% +1.00% 21.00% +1.50% 21.50% +2.00% 22.00%
26.00% 21.00% +1.00% 22.00% +1.50% 22.50% +2.00% 23.00%
27.00% 22.00% +1.00% 23.00% +1.50% 23.50% +2.00% 24.00%
28.00% 23.00% +1.00% 24.00% +1.50% 24.50% +2.00% 25.00%
29.00% 24.00% +1.00% 25.00% +1.50% 25.50% +2.00% 26.00%
30.00% 25.00% +1.00% 26.00% +1.50% 26.50% +2.00% 27.00%
31.00% 26.00% +1.00% 27.00% +1.50% 27.50% +2.00% 28.00%
32.00% 27.00% +1.00% 28.00% +1.50% 28.50% +2.00% 29.00%
33.00% 28.00% +1.00% 29.00% +1.50% 29.50% +2.00% 30.00%
34.00% 29.00% +1.00% 30.00% +1.50% 30.50% +2.00% 31.00%
35.00% 30.00% +1.00% 31.00% +1.50% 31.50% +2.00% 32.00%
36.00% 31.00% +1.00% 32.00% +1.50% 32.50% +2.00% 33.00%
37.00% 32.00% +1.00% 33.00% +1.50% 33.50% +2.00% 34.00%
38.00% 33.00% +1.00% 34.00% +1.50% 34.50% +2.00% 35.00%
39.00% 34.00% +1.00% 35.00% +1.50% 35.50% +2.00% 36.00%
40.00% 35.00% +1.00% 36.00% +1.50% 36.50% +2.00% 37.00%
41.00% 38.75% +1.00% 39.75% +1.50% 40.25% +2.00% 40.75%
16 42.00% 42.50% +1.00% 43.50% +1.50% 44.00% +2.00% 44.50%
43.00% 46.25% +1.00% 47.25% +1.50% 47.75% +2.00% 48.25%
44.00% 50.00% +1.00% 51.00% +1.50% 51.50% +2.00% 52.00%
AB 1287: How it interacts with Culver City
Density Bonuses
Under State Law, AB 1287 Bonuses first require Residential Development Projects to maximize Very Low Income, Low Income, or Moderate Income units under California Sate Density Bonus Laws. The following table shows the minimum number of affordable units required before a project becomes eligible for additional bonuses under AB 1287:
Table 4. Minimum Affordable Units Required to qualify for AB 1287 bonuses Income Level Base Units Required
VLI 15.00%
LI 24.00%
MI (For Sale only) 44.00%
Once a project has met this State requirement, it becomes eligible for AB 1287 provisions.
The following table may be used to help calculate Tier Density Bonuses for projects which are eligible for AB 1287 bonuses.
Additionally, the subsequent example projects further illustrate how AB 1287 interacts with Tier and Community benefit bonuses.
Table 5. Additional Very Low Income Bonuses Under AB 1287: Additional Requirements and Bonuses for Tier Density Bonuses
Percentage of
Additional Very
Low Income
Units
AB 1287
Density
Bonus
Tier 2 Density
Bonus (20% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
2 + State
Bonus
Tier 3 Density
Bonus (30% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
3 + State
Bonus
Tier 4 Density
Bonus (40% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
4 + State
Bonus
5.00% 20.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
6.00% 23.75% NA NA NA NA NA NA
7.00% 27.50% NA NA NA NA NA NA
8.00% 31.25% +4.00% 35.25% NA NA NA NA
9.00% 35.00% +4.00% 39.00% +6.00% 41.00% NA NA
10.00% 38.75% +4.00% 42.75% +6.00% 44.75% +8.00% 46.75%
17 Table 6. Additional Moderate Income Bonuses Under AB 1287: Additional Requirements and Bonuses for Tier Density Bonuses (For Sale Only) Percentage of
Additional Very
Low Income
Units
AB 1287
Density
Bonus
Tier 2 Density
Bonus (20% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
2 + State
Bonus
Tier 3 Density
Bonus (30% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
3 + State
Bonus
Tier 4 Density
Bonus (40% of
minimum State
Bonus)
Total Tier
4 + State
Bonus
5.00% 20.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
6.00% 22.50% NA NA NA NA NA NA
7.00% 25.00% NA NA NA NA NA NA
8.00% 27.50% +4.00% 31.50% NA NA NA NA
9.00% 30.00% +4.00% 34.00% +6.00% 36.00% NA NA
10.00% 32.50% +4.00% 36.50% +6.00% 38.50% +8.00% 40.50%
11.00% 35.00% +4.00% 39.00% +6.00% 41.00% +8.00% 43.00%
12.00% 38.75% +4.00% 42.75% +6.00% 44.75% +8.00% 46.75%
13.00% 42.50% +4.00% 46.50% +6.00% 48.50% +8.00% 50.50%
18 Example 4. AB 1287-eligible project: 1.6-acre development zoned RHD with 24% low income units, 8% moderate income units, 10% workforce units, 11% units are 3 or more bedrooms, outside High Quality Transit Area.
Step 1. Determine base density.
• Located in RHD Zone, which allows density up to 29.04 du/ac. The project site is
1.6 acres.
• 47 base units.
Step 2. Calculate State Density Bonus.
• The project is dedicating 24% of base units to LI households, and is eligible for a 50% base density bonus.
• +24 unit bonus.
• Additionally, this project qualifies for an AB 1287 Density Bonus6, as it maxes out the LI unit requirements, and provides 8% MI units. It receives another 27.5% base density bonus.
• +13 unit bonus.
Step 3. Calculate Tier Density Bonus.
• The project is outside a High Quality Transit Area, so it could qualify for Tier 1 or 2. • The project exceeds State minimum requirements for LI income units by at least 50%, and for MI units under AB 1287 by at least 50%. Therefore, it qualifies for Tier 2, and receives an additional 4% base density bonus for both LI and MI units. • +4 unit bonus.
Step 4. Calculate Community Benefit Bonus.
• This project fulfills a Tier Density Bonus requirement. • This project provides 10% workforce units, and qualifies for a 5% base density bonus.
• This project provides at least 11% of units with 3 or more bedrooms, and qualifies for a 1% base density bonus.
• +4 unit bonus.
Final results
• 92 total units.
• 56 du/ac.
6 CA AB1287 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session
19 • 45 additional units (37 from State bonuses, 4 from Tier 2 Bonuses, 4 from Community Benefit Bonuses).
• 21 income-restricted units.
• 11 3 or more bedroom units.
Example 5. AB 1287-elibile project: 5-acre development zoned MU-1 with 10% very low income units, 24% low income units, 10% workforce units, 25% 3 bedroom units, 1000 square foot childcare facility, 3,000 square feet of open space, 10,000 square feet of neighborhood commercial, and 2 bus shelters, adjacent to Culver City Station.
20 Step 1. Determine base density.
• Located in MU-1 Zone, which allows density up to 65 du/ac. The project site is 5 acres.
• 325 base units.
Step 2. Calculate State Density Bonus.
• The project is dedicating 24% of base units to LI households, and is eligible for a 50% base density bonus.
• +163 unit bonus.
• Additionally, this project qualifies for an AB 1287 Density Bonus, as it maxes out the LI unit requirements, and provides 10% VLI units. It receives another 38.75% base density bonus.
• +126 unit bonus.
Step 3. Calculate Tier Density Bonus.
• The project is within a Culver City Transit Priority Area (Culver City Station), so it could qualify for Tier 4.
• The project exceeds State minimum requirements for LI income units by at least 100%, and for VLI units under AB 1287 by at least 100%. Therefore, it qualifies for Tier 4, and receives an additional 8% base density bonus for both LI and VLI units. • +52 unit bonus.
Step 4. Calculate Community Benefit Bonus.
• This project fulfills a Tier Density Bonus requirement. • This project provides 10% workforce units, and qualifies for a 5% base density bonus.
• This project provides at least 15% of total units with 3 or more bedrooms, which is the cap for this bonus, and qualifies for the maximum 5% base density bonus. • This project provides a 2,000 square foot childcare facility, and qualifies for a 4,000 square foot bonus (approximately 4 units).
• This project provides 3,000 square feet of public open space, and qualifies for one additional unit per 1,000 square feet.
• This project provides 10,000 square feet of neighborhood -oriented commercial space, and qualifies for 5 additional units.
• This project will build and maintain two bus shelters, and qualifies for 2 additional units.
• +48 unit bonus.
Final results
• 714 total units.
• 143 du/ac.
• 389 additional units (289 from State Bonuses, 52 from Tier 4 Bonuses, and 48 from Community Benefit Bonuses)
• 144 income-restricted units (78 LI, 33 VLI, 33 Workforce) • 179 3-bed units, child day care facility, open space, neighborhood -oriented commercial, two sheltered bus stops.
21 Appendix C. Frequently Asked
Questions
Are these bonuses financial incentives for affordable housing? No. Neither the Tier nor the Community Benefit Density Bonuses include financial incentives for affordable housing. The City is not required to provide direct financial incentives, such as subsidies or publicly owned land. However, such incentives may be offered at the City’s discretion, but they are not directly addressed in this ordinance.
Can projects qualify for both Tier Density Bonuses and Community Benefit Bonuses? Yes. Projects that meet the requirements for Tier 2, 3, or 4 bonuses are also eligible for Community Benefit Bonuses. These bonuses incentivize features such as workforce housing, family-sized units, public open spaces, and childcare facilities.
How long must affordable units remain affordable?
• Rental units: At least 55 years for Acutely Low-, Extremely Low-, Very Low-, or Low- Income households.
• Ownership units: At least 45 years for Moderate-Income households.
How will these bonuses impact quality of life?
The Density Bonus Ordinance includes provisions to support quality of life. For example, Community Benefit Bonuses incentivize projects to provide features such as workforce housing, family-sized units, public open spaces, and childcare facilities.
What are Tier Density Bonuses?
Tier Density Bonuses are local enhancements to State Density Bonuses. They provide additional incentives based on proximity to high -quality transit and the amount of affordable housing provided. There are four tiers, with higher tiers offering greater benefits.
What documents are required to apply for a density bonus? Developers must provide the following, in addition to the standard application materials:
• An Affordable Housing Plan (AHP) detailing unit affordability, location, and compliance strategies.
• An Affordable Housing Agreement (AHA) ensuring affordability requirements are met for the specified term.
• A narrative justifying waivers, concessions, or incentives. Additional documents may be required for specific bonuses, such as childcare facilities or public open spaces.
• Other documents may be required.
What guarantees that affordable units will stay affordable? Affordability is ensured through legal agreements, such as regulatory agreements for rental units and resale restrictions for ownership units. These agreements are recorded against the property title and monitored for 45–55 years, depending on the income level served.
22 What is the difference between a waiver and a concession? • Waivers: Allow deviations from development standards (e.g., setbacks, height limits) that would otherwise physically prevent achieving permitted density or incentives.
• Concessions: Provide flexibility in requirements that if applied makes the project cost prohibitive , such as fee reductions or additional height allowances, to enhance project feasibility.
What is the purpose of the Culver City Density Bonus Ordinance (DBO)? The DBO aims to incentivize affordable housing by granting developers additional density, waivers, and concessions in exchange for including affordable units in their projects.
Who qualifies for a Density Bonus under the DBO?
Residential or mixed-use projects with five or more units that include at least one of the qualifying affordability categories outlined in the DBO may qualify. Projects must also comply with State Density Bonus Law (Government Code Section 65915).
Why are developers allowed to build taller buildings or reduce setbacks? These adjustments make housing projects more feasible in high-cost areas. The DBO uses a tiered bonus system to regulate the scale of these modifications while ensuring they align with broader housing goals. This also helps to direct higher densities in areas that are already densely developed and are well-served by transit and amenities.