The Roadmap: A Path to Equitable Building Decarbonization in L.A.

The City of Los Angeles has committed to decarbonizing its building stock as part of its efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To achieve decarbonization at scale, Los Angeles is likely to impose decarbonization mandates that require building owners to make electrification and efficiency upgrades in the coming years. This represents an opportunity for the City to create healthier, more resilient homes, especially in historically disinvested neighborhoods that are most burdened by environmental injustices and climate change. However, if these communities are not actively centered in policy decisions and processes, they will be at risk of negative impacts and exclusion from building decarbonization investments.

Informed by extensive community engagement with low-income communities across Los Angeles, this document outlines the Los Angeles for Resilient and Health Homes (LARHH) coalition’s proposed path to decarbonizing buildings equitably—in a way that both rectifies harms caused by past planning decisions and advances environmental justice, affordable housing, tenant rights, and the development of a green workforce.