Hawthorne, CA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- HMC Ch. 17.17 Residential Density Bonus
- Minimum project size
- 5 or more dwelling units
- Lower-income set-aside
- 10% units = 20.0% bonus
- Very low-income set-aside
- 5% units = 20.0% bonus
- Senior housing bonus
- Flat 20% density bonus
- Affordability term
- 30 years minimum covenant
Summary
Hawthorne must grant a density bonus above the base zone's maximum density under Hawthorne Code §§ 17.17.020-.030 when a housing developer sets aside qualifying affordable units, ranging from a 20.0% bonus at 10% lower-income units up to 35.0% at 20%, or a flat 20% bonus for qualifying senior housing, implementing state Density Bonus Law.
A. The city shall grant a density bonus and concessions or incentives listed in Section 17.17.040, or provide other concessions or equivalent financial incentives, when an applicant for a housing development proposes and agrees to construct any one of the following: 1. Ten percent of the total dwelling units reserved for lower income households as defined in Section 50079.5 of the Health and Safety Code (eighty percent of median family income); 2. Five percent of the total dwelling units reserved for very low income households as defined in Section 50105 of the Health and Safety Code (fifty percent of median family income)... § 17.17.030. Density bonus. A. The density bonus provided by this section shall apply to housing developments consisting of five or more dwelling units.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 17.17 implements California's Density Bonus Law, Government Code § 65915 et seq. (§ 17.17.010). Under § 17.17.020(A), the city must grant a density bonus plus the concessions or incentives listed in § 17.17.040 when a housing developer commits to one of: 10% of units for lower-income households (Health & Safety Code § 50079.5, 80% of median family income); 5% for very low income households (§ 50105, 50% of median income); a qualifying senior citizen housing development under Civil Code §§ 51.3 and 51.12; or 10% moderate-income units in a for-sale common interest development.
The bonus applies only to housing developments of five or more dwelling units (§ 17.17.030(A)). The bonus scales on a sliding table: 10% lower-income units earns a 20.0% density bonus, climbing in increments to 20% lower-income units for a 35.0% bonus (§ 17.17.030(C)); the very-low-income schedule runs from 5% units for a 20.0% bonus up to 11% for 35.0% (§ 17.17.030(D)); qualifying senior housing gets a flat 20% bonus regardless of unit count (§ 17.17.030(E)); and the moderate-income for-sale schedule starts at 10% units for a 5.0% bonus (§ 17.17.030(F)).
Applicants must keep the qualifying low- and very-low-income units affordable for at least thirty years, or longer if tied to a financing or rental-subsidy program, with rents and sale prices capped at Health & Safety Code affordability definitions and enforced through a recorded equity-sharing agreement (§ 17.17.020(C)-(D)).
Violations & Fines
A developer or successor owner who breaches the recorded affordability covenant or equity-sharing agreement tied to a density-bonus project is subject to prosecution under Hawthorne Code § 1.20.010 as a misdemeanor, an infraction, or a civil administrative citation at the city attorney's discretion, carrying up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both, with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of a density bonus can a Hawthorne housing project get?
How many units must a project have to qualify?
How long must the affordable units stay affordable?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawthorne
California rules heatmap·Compare Hawthorne to another location·View the California zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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Density Bonus Law in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle density bonus law.