Advocacy Into Action: LA’s Self-Certification Program Moves Forward

A permitting reform BOMA/GLA has been advocating for is becoming a reality.

The City of Los Angeles has launched an online portal for its Self-Certification Program, another important step toward making the permitting process faster and more predictable for commercial projects.

Under Mayor Karen Bass’ Executive Directive 19, the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) was directed to implement a citywide Tenant Improvement Self-Certification Pilot Program for eligible commercial tenant improvements that do not involve a change of use.

The program allows qualified professionals to take greater responsibility for certifying code compliance, reducing the need for the traditional LADBS plan check process for eligible projects.

For BOMA/GLA, this is exactly the kind of practical permitting reform we have been pushing for.

BOMA/GLA Advocacy at Work

For years, our members have told us that permitting delays can mean delayed tenant openings, higher construction costs and uncertainty for building owners and managers.

BOMA/GLA has consistently brought those concerns directly to LADBS, the Mayor’s Office and other City leaders.

Through our Codes & Regulations Committee, direct meetings with City officials and broader advocacy efforts, we have pushed for solutions that make Los Angeles easier to invest in and do business in- including self-certification and other ways to streamline commercial tenant improvements.

That relationship also means our members are not hearing about these changes after the fact.

Representatives from LADBS and the Mayor’s Office regularly engage directly with BOMA/GLA members, giving our industry an opportunity to ask questions, identify problems, and provide feedback as reforms are developed.

At our recent Codes & Regulations Committee meeting, the Mayor’s Office confirmed that registration for self-certification was available and discussed implementation directly with our members.

Now, members can see that work turning into action.

From Advocacy to Implementation

Executive Directive 19 specifically called for LADBS to establish a citywide self-certification pilot for qualifying commercial tenant improvements.

The City says the broader directive is intended to reduce delays, simplify permitting and make it easier to open and improve businesses in Los Angeles.

There is still work ahead as the program is implemented and refined, and BOMA/GLA will continue working with LADBS and the Mayor’s Office to make sure the commercial real estate industry's experience helps shape what comes next.

But this is an important milestone and a good example of why BOMA/GLA stays at the table.

We raise the issues our members experience. We build relationships with the people who can fix them. And we keep pushing until ideas become action!

Thank you to all of our members who have played a pivotal role in advancing this work.