LA County Code Title 22.140.470 imposes an affordable housing linkage fee on new commercial and market-rate residential development in unincorporated areas. Fees fund the Affordable Housing Trust administered by LACDA, with rates tiered by zone.
Adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 2018 and codified in Title 22 of the LA County Code, the linkage fee charges new commercial and multifamily projects a per-square-foot fee at building permit issuance. Tiered rates reflect market strength: high-market zones (Westside, parts of the Antelope Valley periphery) pay higher fees than moderate or low-market zones. Single-family homes, deed-restricted affordable units, and projects under threshold square footage are exempt. The Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) collects fees into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which leverages state and federal sources to build deed-restricted affordable rental housing in unincorporated communities.
Failure to pay the linkage fee at permit issuance prevents permit release and certificate of occupancy. Underpayment discovered later triggers a recorded lien, interest, and refusal of related county approvals until cured.
See how Palmdale's affordable housing linkage fee rules stack up against other locations.
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