As a real estate professional and advocate for property owners, I’ve seen firsthand how Los Angeles City Council’s relentless push for regulations continues to burden homeowners, developers, and apartment owners alike. The latest proposal, the Los Angeles Wildlife Ordinance, is another example of the council’s short-sighted policies, leaving property owners and industry professionals frustrated and financially strapped.

What is the Wildlife Ordinance?

The proposed ordinance is designed to protect wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains, covering a 36-square-mile corridor stretching from Bel Air to Studio City. The intent is to safeguard the habitat for species such as coyotes, bobcats, and mountain lions by imposing stricter regulations on residential development.

The ordinance includes provisions that:

• Limit residential construction to 50% of a lot’s total square footage.
• Close loopholes that exclude basements from square footage calculations.
• Restrict the maximum height of structures to 45 feet.
• Impose additional site plan reviews for larger projects.

While the ordinance may sound noble in theory, it is the latest in a string of regulatory measures that undermine property rights, hinder new construction, and create uncertainty in an already strained housing market.

Interestingly, many environmentalists themselves do not support the Wildlife Ordinance, citing studies that show it has little to no impact on preserving local wildlife. Critics argue that this ordinance is less about genuine environmental protection and more about advancing Los Angeles’ broader agenda to target affluent homeowners, cloaking it in the guise of conservation.

The Double Standard in Housing Policy

What’s ironic—if not hypocritical—is how this ordinance clashes with the city’s push for affordable housing and greater density in urban areas. On the one hand, Los Angeles is advocating for taxpayer-funded affordable housing initiatives and on the other hand, they are targeting affluent neighborhoods with regulations that limit the size of homes and apartments, effectively stalling construction in areas where land is already scarce and expensive.

This contradiction is not lost on property owners or industry professionals. For apartment owners, already burdened by rent control, eviction moratoriums, and other restrictive measures, the Wildlife Ordinance signals a broader attack on property development.

Impact on Property Values and Construction

The ordinance has sparked widespread opposition. For single-family homeowners and Multifamily properties, the new restrictions would immediately reduce the resale potential of their properties. Developers, already navigating the challenges of Measure ULA—Los Angeles’ controversial mansion tax—are now facing additional layers of red tape.

Measure ULA, which imposes a hefty transfer tax on residential and commercial property sales above $5 million, has already stifled high-end real estate sales in the city. In the first month after ULA took effect, only two single-family homes above $5 million sold in Los Angeles. A year earlier there were 50. The Wildlife Ordinance threatens to compound this trend, making high-end properties even less attractive to buyers and investors.

A Blow to Blue-Collar Workers and the Local Economy

The ripple effects of this ordinance will be felt far beyond the affluent homeowners it targets. Developers, contractors, and laborers all stand to lose significant business. Every construction project, large or small, employs hundreds of workers—from electricians and plumbers to architects and landscapers. The Wildlife Ordinance threatens to shut down projects, putting countless jobs at risk.

Apartment Owners Beware
This ordinance should serve as a red flag for apartment owners across Los Angeles. By including basements and garages in square footage restrictions, the city would be setting a precedent that could easily extend beyond affluent suburban neighborhoods. If this logic is applied to urban areas, it could significantly limit the size and viability of new apartment projects, further discouraging development. For an already over-regulated industry, this is yet another move that threatens to stifle housing production and drive-up costs.

Apartment owners already feel under siege from the city’s policies. Between eviction bans, rent caps, and bureaucratic red tape, the industry has been battling regulations for years. Now, the Wildlife Ordinance shows that no property type is safe from the council’s overreach.

A Call for Balance
Los Angeles faces a housing crisis, and the solution is not to stifle development in some of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods under the guise of wildlife conservation. Policies like the Wildlife Ordinance and Measure ULA ultimately discourage investment, shrink the housing supply, and drive-up costs for everyone.

Protecting the environment is essential, but it does not need to come at the expense of property rights and economic stability. A better balance must be struck—one that supports conservation efforts while safeguarding property owners’ rights.

For all Californians, maintaining strong property rights is critical to protecting and increasing property values. If Los Angeles’ policies like the Wildlife Ordinance are allowed to stand, it’s only a matter of time before similar measures threaten property rights in other cities. This is why everyone must remain vigilant and continue to fight to preserve property rights.

The Wildlife Ordinance may be intended as a tribute to P-22, the beloved mountain lion, but its true legacy could be the economic harm it inflicts on property owners and the housing market at large. If passed, it won’t just be about wildlife—it will be another chapter in the city council’s ongoing war against property owners.

Written by Mercedes Shaffer, Realtor

Mercedes Shaffer is a multifamily real estate agent with REAL Broker, and If you have questions about buying, selling or doing a 1031 exchange, her team serves LA and Orange County and can be reached at 714.330.9999, InvestingInTheOC@gmail.com, or you can visit their website at InvestingInTheOC.com  DRE 02114448