La Mesa, CA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Density bonus cap
- 35% above base density, maximum
- Bonuses per development
- one only, no stacking
- Fractional units
- rounded up to next whole number
- Program report filed with
- first discretionary planning application
- Implements
- Government Code § 65915, local program
- Citation
- LMMC § 24.053.050
Summary
La Mesa's Affordable Homes Bonus Program lets a qualifying housing development receive only one density bonus per project, capped at thirty-five percent above the base zoning density, under La Mesa Municipal Code § 24.053.050. An applicant who qualifies under more than one income category, or additionally as senior housing, must pick a single category, since bonuses from different categories cannot be combined.
A.In determining the total number of units to be granted, each component of any density calculation, including base density and bonus density, resulting in fractional units shall be separately rounded up to the next whole number. ... C.Each housing development is entitled to only one density bonus. If a housing development qualifies for a density bonus under more than one income category or additionally as senior housing, the applicant shall select the category under which the density bonus is granted. Density bonuses from more than one category may not be combined. ... E.The applicant may elect to accept a lesser percentage of a density bonus than the housing development is entitled to, including the utilization of no added density, but no reduction will be permitted in the percentages of required affordable units contained in Government Code Section 65915(b), (c), and (f). Regardless of the number of affordable units, no housing development shall be entitled to a density bonus of more than thirty-five percent.
Full Breakdown
La Mesa adopted its Affordable Homes Bonus Program in Chapter 24.053 to implement Government Code Section 65915, the State Density Bonus Law, and the program's own density-bonus rule adds local limits on top of that framework. Section 24.053.050 requires that every fractional unit produced by a density calculation, whether from the base density or the bonus density, be rounded up separately to the next whole number, and any fractional affordable unit needed to qualify for a given bonus is likewise rounded up. Each housing development is entitled to only one density bonus: a project that qualifies under more than one income tier, or that could also qualify as senior housing, must select a single category to receive the bonus under, and bonuses from different categories cannot be stacked together.
An applicant may voluntarily accept a smaller bonus than the project qualifies for, including no added density at all, but that choice cannot be used to reduce the percentage of affordable units the state law requires under Government Code Section 65915(b), (c) and (f). Regardless of how many affordable units a project provides, no La Mesa housing development can receive a density bonus greater than thirty-five percent above its base zoning density. Applicants seeking the bonus, along with any incentives, waivers or parking reductions, must file an affordable homes bonus program report with the first discretionary planning application for the project, per Section 24.053.040.
Violations & Fines
A housing development that builds beyond its base zoning density without an approved affordable homes bonus program report, or that exceeds the thirty-five percent cap in Section 24.053.050, is out of compliance with La Mesa's density regulations and subject to Community Development review before building permits can issue. A project that stacks bonuses from more than one income category, contrary to the one-bonus-per-development rule, does not qualify for the combined density and can be required to reduce unit count to the properly calculated single-category bonus.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much extra density can La Mesa's density bonus program add to my project?
Can my La Mesa project combine density bonuses from two income categories?
What do I need to file to request a density bonus in La Mesa?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in La Mesa
California rules heatmap·Compare La Mesa to another location·View the California zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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