The LA construction glossary.
Every acronym, ordinance, and code section we cite in the field, in plain English. Bookmark this page — we'll be adding to it monthly.
Permits
- LADBS (LA Department of Building and Safety)The City of Los Angeles agency that issues building permits and conducts inspections.
- ePlanLADBS's fully electronic plan-check portal for residential and commercial permits.
- Ministerial ReviewPermit review based purely on objective standards — no public hearing, no discretion.
- LA City PlanningThe City of LA agency that handles zoning, entitlements, and HPOZ review.
Zoning
- ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit)A self-contained second home on a residential lot, with its own kitchen, bath, and entrance.
- JADU (Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit)A smaller ADU carved out of the existing house, capped at 500 sqft, with owner-occupancy required.
- HPOZ (Historic Preservation Overlay Zone)City of LA designation that imposes design review on alterations within a historic neighborhood.
- BHO (Baseline Hillside Ordinance)City of LA rules governing residential construction on hillside lots — height, grading, haul routes.
- Coastal Development Permit (CDP)Permit required for construction inside California's Coastal Zone, issued by the city or the California Coastal Commission.
- SetbackMinimum distance a structure must be from a property line.
- FAR (Floor Area Ratio)The ratio of total building floor area to lot size — caps how much you can build.
- BMO (Baseline Mansionization Ordinance)City of LA rules limiting the size of single-family homes in non-hillside R1 zones.
Construction
- Soft-Story RetrofitMandatory seismic strengthening of older multifamily buildings with weak ground floors.
- Soils ReportEngineering study of subsurface soil conditions, required for hillside and certain ADU lots.
- LADWP (LA Department of Water and Power)City of LA's water and electrical utility — handles ADU service connections and meter sets.
- CSLB (Contractors State License Board)California state agency that licenses and regulates construction contractors.
Finance
- Construction LoanShort-term loan covering construction costs, converted to a permanent mortgage at completion.
- HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit)Revolving credit line secured by your home's equity — common ADU financing path.
- RenoFi LoanRenovation loan that underwrites based on the home's value AFTER the work is completed.
Code & Law
- AB 682020 California law that streamlined ADU permits — 60-day clock, parking exemptions, ministerial review.
- AB 22212022 amendment that closed loopholes in AB 68 — clarified setbacks, height, and the 60-day clock.
- SB 92021 California law allowing ministerial lot splits and duplexes on most single-family lots.
- SB 12112024 California law expanding ADUs on multifamily lots — up to 8 detached ADUs allowed.
- Title 24California's energy efficiency code — required for all new construction and most additions.
- HERS RatingField verification of energy-efficiency measures required by Title 24.