Emergency Shelter Code Amendment (ENV-2025-1649-SE)

2025110627

City of Los Angeles

NOE - Notice of Exemption

11/17/2025

11/17/2025

Julia Heidelman

City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning

City Planner

Lead/Public Agency

200 N Spring Street, Room 750
Los Angeles, CA 90012

(818) 374-5045

julia.heidelman@lacity.org

Citywide (City of Los Angeles)

Statutory Exemption

State Public Resource Code Sec. 21080{b}l4}

The Department of City Planning has determined, based on the whole of the administrative record, that the proposed Ordinance is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b) and/or Public Resources Code 21080(b)(4), and there is no substantial evidence demonstrating that an exception to a categorical exemption pursuant to CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 applies. CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b) Adoption of the proposed ordinance is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the project may have a significant effect on the environment. CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(a) provides that a project under CEQA is one that "has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment." Section 15378(b) provides that administrative and organizational activities that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment are not projects for purposes of CEQA. The proposed ordinance does not involve any activities that will directly or indirectly alter the environment from its current conditions. The proposed amendments to LAMC Ch. 1 Sec. 12.80 and 12.81 and Ch. 1 A Sec. 1.6.2 and 1.6.3 are administrative and organizational in nature and will ensure that local regulations align with the applicable provisions of State law. There is no potential that the proposed ordinance will result in the creation of additional emergency shelters, as it does not make any changes to existing allowances for emergency shelters. The anticipated result of the proposed ordinance is that temporary emergency shelters will continue to be able to be established and would not result in any direct or indirect impact to the environment. The provisions will continue to only apply during a declared shelter crisis emergency pursuant to state law (CA Gov. Code Sec. 8698 et. seq). A shelter crisis may be revoked by the Mayor or City Council at any time. PRC Section 21080(b)(4) (Emergency Projects) Additionally, approval of the project is exempt from CEQA pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080(b}(4), which provides that emergency projects are exempt from the requirements of CEQA. In particular, this exemption provides that specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency are exempt from CEQA. While it is clear that the proposed ordinance will not have any significant effect on the environment, even in the unlikely and unforeseeable event that they did, any impacts that could occur from the existing and continuing regulations would occur during times of extreme need for housing, upon declaration of a shelter crisis emergency pursuant to CA Gov. Code Sec. 8698 et seq. Any potential impacts from the proposed amendments to LAMC Ch. 1 Sec. 12.80 and 12.81 and Ch. 1A Sec. 1.6.2 and 1.6.3, and other related sections would therefore be temporary in nature and necessary to mitigate an emergency shelter crisis in the City of Los Angeles. Therefore, on the basis of the whole of the record before the lead agency including any comments received, the lead agency finds that the adoption of the proposed ordinance is exempt from CEQA. The analysis reflects the lead agency's independent judgment and analysis. The records upon which this decision is based are with the Planning Department in Room 750,200 North Spring Street in Los Angeles, California.