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What is Being Proposed?
The Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee is recommending that the Los Angeles City Council approve the reallocation of approximately $4.2 million from six existing TFAR (Transfer of Floor Area Rights) Trust Fund public benefit projects to different projects and programs across various council districts. Instead of funding the original designated projects, this money would be redirected to new priorities.
Why?
The document does not explicitly state the rationale for why these original projects are being defunded or why the new allocations are needed. However, the reprogramming suggests that the original projects may have encountered delays, completion, or funding challenges, necessitating a redirection of public benefit funds to other community needs.
Key Details
The reprogramming involves seven separate transfers: $1 million from Casa de Rosas Affordable Housing to First Time Homebuyers Down Payment Assistance (CD 9) $1 million from 6th Street PARC to Plaza del Sol Crosswalk (CD 14) $150,000 from Nonprofit Central Coordinating Agency to Street Lighting Repair (CD 1) $100,000 from Eviction Defense for Tenants to Emergency Rental Assistance (CD 1) $1.7 million from South Central United Assistance & Prevention to Community Grants Program (CD 9) $100,000 from St. Johns Mobile Clinic to Substance Abuse/Behavioral Health (CD 9) $150,000 from two programs to increase SEA Mental Health Program funding to $350,000 (CD 9) The PLUM Committee voted 4-1 (with one member absent) to approve these recommendations on October 28, 2025.
Impact
This affects residents in Council Districts 1, 9, and 14 by shifting resources between programs. Residents who were expecting affordable housing support or community facilities may see those projects delayed, while residents will gain new services in street lighting, rental assistance, mental health, and other community programs.
What is Being Proposed?
The Planning and Land Use Management Committee is recommending the City Council approve the distribution of $16.6 million from the Transfer of Floor Area Rights (TFAR) Public Benefit Payment Trust Fund to support 47 community projects and programs across Los Angeles. Additionally, the committee recommends reallocating approximately $1.8 million from three previously-approved projects that are no longer viable or needed.
Why?
The TFAR Trust Fund collects payments from developers who transfer unused floor area rights in Los Angeles. These funds are designated for public benefit projects. This distribution represents accumulated funds that need to be allocated to community improvements. The reallocation addresses three situations: one project that was rescinded (La Opinion Affordable Housing Project), two others requiring reprogramming to more viable community initiatives, and administrative funds no longer needed.
Key Details
Total new funding: $16,628,875.44 distributed across 47 projects in various council districts Reallocation sources: $1.8 million freed up from prior allocations, including $1 million from the La Opinion Affordable Housing Project and $819,356 from City Planning Administration Committee vote: 3-0 approval (Harris-Dawson, Lee, and Hutt voted yes; Yaroslavsky and Padilla were absent) Meeting date: August 30, 2024 Fiscal impact: No effect on the City's General Fund
Impact
This action will fund community projects and programs throughout Los Angeles, including cultural initiatives, gang intervention programs, sustainable communities projects, and legacy business support. Residents in various council districts will benefit from targeted investments in their neighborhoods. The reallocation ensures previously-committed funds are redirected to viable projects rather than remaining unused.
What is Being Proposed?
The City Council is being asked to approve the distribution of $16.6 million from the Transfer of Floor Area Rights (TFAR) Public Benefit Payment Trust Fund to support 47 different public benefit projects and programs across Los Angeles. The recommendation also includes reprogramming approximately $1.8 million from three previously allocated but stalled projects to new initiatives. Additionally, the Council would authorize the City Controller to implement these funding decisions and instruct them to revert $1 million from a defunct affordable housing project back to the TFAR Trust Fund.
Why?
Los Angeles created the TFAR Trust Fund to collect payments from developers who benefit from increased floor area in the Central City Community Plan area. These funds—which now total $21 million—must be used for public benefit projects like affordable housing, parks, job training, homeless services, and cultural programs within specific geographic areas. The City needed to identify worthy projects that serve eligible residents and align with the TFAR Ordinance requirements. Additionally, some previously allocated funds had not been used due to projects that either didn't advance or were rescinded, so Council action was necessary to redirect these dormant funds to active programs.
Key Details
The $16.6 million in new allocations will fund projects across six eligible council districts (1, 8, 9, 10, 13, and 14), with Council District 9 receiving the largest share at $5.9 million. Notable projects include $5.9 million for South Park acquisition and development in CD 14, $1.7 million for homeless services in CD 9, and $1.08 million for Richardson Family Park renovation in CD 8. Three projects are being reprogrammed: $130,475 from a stalled community planning project in CD 13, and $250,000 from an Urban TXT Programming project in CD 9 being redirected to three job training and outreach programs.
Impact
This funding will directly support vulnerable populations including homeless individuals and families, low-income residents, and underserved communities through services ranging from job training and affordable housing to food distribution and legal aid. The projects span cultural programs, recreational facilities, healthcare services, and economic development. However, the benefits are geographically limited to the eligible TFAR areas in Central Los Angeles, so residents outside these districts won't directly benefit. The reversion of $1 million previously allocated for affordable housing back to the TFAR Fund represents a setback for that specific initiative but allows those resources to support other public benefits.
What is Being Proposed?
The Chief Legislative Analyst is recommending that the City Council approve a specific distribution method for $16.6 million in uncommitted funds from the Transfer of Floor Area Rights (TFAR) Public Benefit Payment Trust Fund. The proposed "Distribution Method 3" combines a fixed percentage approach (66% of funds) with a land percentage approach (34% of funds) to allocate money among seven eligible Council Districts. Additionally, $3.2 million would be set aside for Citywide projects, and participating Council Districts would be asked to submit project proposals for funding.
Why This Matters
The TFAR program requires developers to make payments to a trust fund when they transfer floor area rights from city-owned properties (like the Los Angeles Convention Center) to development projects. Since 2018, seven planning cases have generated $16.6 million in new deposits plus $913,772 in interest. A reconciliation review identified these funds as available for new public benefit projects, prompting the need to fairly distribute them among eligible districts. The recommendation balances two competing interests: recognizing Council Districts 9 and 14's significant role in generating revenue (they hosted the donor sites) while also distributing funds to other impacted districts.
Key Details
The recommended distribution allocates funds to Council Districts 1, 8, 9, 10, 13, and 14, with CD 9 and CD 14 each receiving 33% of the district allocations due to their geographic importance. The total Trust Fund balance is $20.6 million, with $2.7 million reserved for past projects not yet completed and $1.8 million reallocated to address prior commitments.
Impact
Council Districts eligible for funds can now identify specific projects—such as affordable housing, parks, public facilities, or community programs—to recommend for Trust Fund allocation. Residents in these districts may benefit from new public benefit projects funded through this mechanism, though actual projects still require formal approval through a subsequent committee process.