McMansion McLimits in LA?
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From the L.A. Times: ‘To protect the character of neighborhoods being dwarfed by the construction of oversized homes, Los Angeles officials are weighing a law that would radically limit the square-footage of new or remodeled houses across the city’s flatlands.’
So many questions:
Who wants the limits? ‘... residents who complain that the spread of large, boxy homes is spoiling the architectural flavor of established single-family neighborhoods.’
Who wants the big houses? The developers who build them and some homeowners who believe their property values have been inflated by demand from the teardown-and-build-a-bigger house crowd. ‘No one is going to want to pay if they can’t build on it,’ says Jonathan Rosenthal, who lives in Brentwood Park, where older houses are often torn down to make way for McMansions.
Who says the housing market isn’t funny? Quote of the day goes to Paul Soady, complaining about the 3,000 square foot house going up near his: ‘Look at this thing ... It’s a behemoth ... Are they going to put a gun turret up there?’
And what is Richard Riordan up to these days? ‘... Riordan recently joined the fray, phoning council members to argue that the law would drive away the wealthy -- and the jobs they create.’
Your thoughts? Good idea or a bad one? Email story tips to peter.viles@latimes.com
Photo Credit: L.A.Times photo shows Shelly Wagers, a Beverly Grove resident who leads ‘Angelenos Against Mansionization.’