Los Angeles City Council Approves $466.6 Million Measure ULA Housing Package as Metro Orders 220 Electric Buses

City Council Allocates Historic $466.6 Million for Affordable Housing Construction

LOS ANGELES, California — In an unprecedented municipal commitment toward mitigating the regional housing shortage, the Los Angeles City Council unanimously approved a monumental $466.6 million affordable housing allocation in late September 2026. Approximately 70 percent of the dedicated capital is directly funded by revenues generated under Measure ULA (the city's high-value real estate transfer tax), establishing the largest single local investment in housing preservation and new unit production in Los Angeles history.

Under the approved funding resolution, the Los Angeles Housing Department will deploy low-cost development loans, permanent financing subsidies, and acquisition grants to bring dozens of shovel-ready developments into immediate construction. The measure includes rigorous quarterly accountability reporting mandates to track development timelines, cost per unit, and neighborhood anti-displacement metrics across South LA, East LA, and the San Fernando Valley.

LA Metro Board Greenlights $337 Million for 220 Battery-Electric Buses

Reinforcing Southern California's transition toward clean, emissions-free urban transit, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) Board of Directors approved a landmark $337 million contract to acquire 220 next-generation battery-electric heavy-duty buses. Championed by Mayor Karen Bass and Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, the procurement accelerates Metro’s legally mandated target of operating a 100 percent zero-emission transit fleet well in advance of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The high-capacity electric coaches will be deployed across dense transit corridors, replacing aging compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles and drastically reducing localized particulate matter and nitrogen oxide pollution in frontline environmental justice communities.

Pairing Attainable Communities with Zero-Emission Regional Transit

Civic and environmental leaders hailed the tandem decisions as a watershed moment for Los Angeles urban planning. By synchronizing record municipal housing capital with transformative investments in zero-emission transit fleets, the city is pioneering a healthier, more affordable, and transit-connected metropolis capable of supporting future generations.