Los Angeles Council Authorizes $466 Million Measure ULA Housing Package as LA Metro Hits Key D Line Subway Milestones

City Council Allocates Historic $466 Million in Measure ULA Capital for Affordable Housing

LOS ANGELES, California — Delivering unprecedented municipal capital to confront Southern California's persistent housing deficit, the Los Angeles City Council voted in early October 2026 to authorize a record $466 million expenditure plan powered by revenue from Measure ULA, the voter-approved transfer tax on high-value real estate transactions. Administered by the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD), the substantial funding tranche accelerates shovel-ready affordable multifamily developments, expands permanent supportive housing, and establishes robust anti-displacement protections for vulnerable tenants across the city.

The allocation dedicates more than $230 million directly toward multi-family construction gap financing and adaptive reuse loans, enabling non-profit builders to unfreeze developments stalled by commercial interest rates. Additional millions fund direct short-term emergency rental assistance, eviction defense legal networks, and specialized acquisition loans that allow community land trusts to preserve rent-stabilized apartment buildings.

LA Metro Achieves 5.3% Ridership Surge and Prepares D Line Extension Debuts

Complementing citywide housing investments, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) announced that regional weekday ridership expanded by 5.3 percent year-over-year, marking consistent passenger growth across both bus and rail networks. On the signature Purple (D Line) Subway Extension, engineering crews completed structural subway tunneling across all segments under Wilshire Boulevard and transitioned into advanced electrical, signaling, and track-system integration.

At the future Century City/Constellation and Westwood/VA Hospital stations, contractors commenced surface roadway restorations and ventilation shaft finishes. Transit officials affirmed that the multi-phase heavy rail expansion remains on track for passenger service transitions heading into 2027, bringing high-speed, grade-separated rail transit to the Westside ahead of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

South Bay Transit Allocations and Multimodal Corridor Connectivity

During its recent executive actions, the LA Metro Board of Directors also finalized nearly $115 million in capital allocations for high-priority transportation initiatives across the South Bay, alongside $5 million dedicated to active transportation bikeways in northern Los Angeles County.

Municipal leaders emphasized that pairing high-capacity heavy rail expansions with aggressive, locally funded affordable housing construction creates a resilient framework for inclusive growth. By connecting newly financed homes directly to world-class public transit, Los Angeles is systematically overcoming historic congestion and housing barriers.