Pasadena, CA Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Density Bonus Law (2026)
Key Facts
- Minimum project size
- 5+ multi-family/mixed-use units
- Very-low-income threshold
- 5% of units, 20% density bonus
- Low-income threshold
- 10% of units, 20% density bonus
- Senior housing bonus
- 35+ units age 55+, flat 20% bonus
- Central District cap
- Up to 50% bonus, CUP over 35%
- Discretionary approval needed for base bonus?
- No
- Governing chapter
- Municipal Code Chapter 17.43
Summary
Pasadena implements the state Density Bonus Law locally: developers who dedicate 5% of units to very-low-income households, 10% to low-income, 10% to moderate-income for-sale, or build 35+ senior units qualify for a density bonus, with no discretionary approval required for the base request under Section 17.43.040.A.
A.Density bonus requirement. A request for a density bonus shall not require any discretionary approval by the City. A request for a density bonus pursuant to this Chapter shall only be granted if an applicant seeks and agrees to construct one of the following:1.At least 5 percent of the units are dedicated to very low-income households;2.At least 10 percent of the units are dedicated to low-income and very low-income households;3.At least 10 percent of the units are dedicated to moderate-income households and are available to the general public for sale; or4.At least 35 dwelling units are available exclusively to persons aged 55 and older and to those residing with them.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 79 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
020). A are: at least 5% of units dedicated to very low-income households, at least 10% to low-income and very low-income households combined, at least 10% to moderate-income households available for sale to the public, or at least 35 units reserved for residents 55 and older. Critically, "a request for a density bonus shall not require any discretionary approval by the City," so meeting one of these thresholds entitles the project to the bonus as a matter of right. The bonus itself scales with the affordable-unit commitment: Table 4-3 runs from a 20% density bonus at 5% very-low-income units up to 35% at 11%, with parallel sliding scales for low-income and moderate-income ownership units, and a flat 20% bonus for senior housing projects.
shall be required for any density bonus exceeding 35 percent" in those subdistricts. D makes clear the bonus categories "shall not be combined," so an applicant picks one qualifying path rather than stacking bonuses. 050 lets qualifying applicants request one to three additional development concessions or incentives, reviewed through an Affordable Housing Concession Permit processed like a Minor Variance before a Hearing Officer.
Violations & Fines
Because the base density bonus is a ministerial entitlement rather than a discretionary approval, there is no separate violation for requesting one; noncompliance instead arises if a developer fails to actually construct and maintain the committed affordable units, which exposes the project to the City's enforcement and recapture remedies under the related affordability provisions of Title 17.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Conditional Use Permit to get a density bonus in Pasadena?
How many affordable units does my project need to qualify?
Can I combine the senior housing bonus with the low-income bonus for a bigger increase?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pasadena
California rules heatmap·Compare Pasadena 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.