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SB 684: for-sale small-lot homes on multifamily land
Subdivide a lot zoned for multifamily housing into as many as ten fee-simple homes, each on its own small lot, with staff-level approval on a 60-day clock. ADUs can be added on top.
SB 684 lets you subdivide a lot zoned for multifamily housing into as many as 10 fee-simple lots with one home each, approved by staff within 60 days with no hearing and no CEQA. The lot doesn't have to be vacant, as long as no rent-controlled, covenanted or recently tenant-occupied units are removed. Where the city allows ADUs on the new lots, they don't count toward the 10 homes.
What it gets you
- You build homes to sell, not just rentals to hold. Each home sits on its own fee-simple lot, with no HOA required by the city.
- The site doesn't have to be vacant: an older house or building can come down, as long as it isn't protected housing (see the next column).
- No public hearing, no discretionary design review and no CEQA review.
- Cities can't require setbacks between homes, more than 4 ft at the side and rear of the original lot, covered parking, or more than one space per home, and no parking near transit.
- Where the city allows ADUs on the new lots, they don't count toward the 10-home cap.
- A denial requires written findings of a specific, unavoidable health or safety impact.
The catches
- The lot must be zoned for multifamily housing (in Los Angeles that includes R2 through R5, RD and the C zones) and be an urban infill site.
- No demolition of units under an affordability covenant or rent control, or units occupied by tenants in the last five years. Lots with an Ellis Act withdrawal in the last 15 years are out.
- Through 2026: lots up to 5 acres, at least 75% surrounded by urban uses, built to roughly two-thirds of the zone's maximum density.
- From January 1, 2027 (SB 1116): the 5-acre cap goes away and the density minimum is replaced by a ceiling. The base zoning can allow no more than 15 units or 26,250 sf of floor area, so some denser lots drop out. Front setbacks are capped at 10 ft, and height limits can no longer cap the number of stories.
- Cities can still apply objective standards, and some limit ADUs on the new small lots, so confirm the local ordinance.
How we help
- Side-by-side yield studies: SB 684 for-sale homes versus apartments with a density bonus versus keeping the building and adding ADUs.
- Three-bedroom townhome plans that sell and still hold the 1,750 sf average.
- Planning the ADUs from day one so they fit the site plan, utilities and parking.
- Small-lot experience: our Burnside Avenue project used LA's Small Lot ordinance, the local predecessor to SB 684, to turn two lots into ten homes.
Gov. Code §§ 65852.28, 66499.41 · SB 684 (2023), SB 1123 (2024), SB 1116 (2026)
Questions we get about SB 684
Should I start with SB 684 or ADUs on a multifamily lot?
On a multifamily-zoned lot with an older house or small building, SB 684 is usually the better first step. ADUs add rentals behind what's there; SB 684 creates up to ten homes you can sell one at a time. ADUs can still be layered on afterward, and where the city allows them on the new lots they don't count toward the ten-home cap.
Does the lot have to be vacant for SB 684?
No. Unlike SB 1123, SB 684 works on multifamily land with an existing structure. You cannot demolish units under an affordability covenant or rent control, or units occupied by tenants in the last five years, and lots with an Ellis Act withdrawal in the last 15 years are ineligible.
How many homes can I build under SB 684?
Up to 10 homes on up to 10 lots, not counting ADUs. Average home size is capped at 1,750 sf of net habitable area, and lots can be as small as 600 sf (480 sf from 2027 if the lots average 600).
How long does SB 684 approval take?
The city must approve or deny a complete application within 60 days, or it is deemed approved. Review is ministerial, with no public hearing, no discretionary design review and no CEQA.
What changes in 2027 under SB 1116?
For applications from January 1, 2027, the 5-acre cap on multifamily sites goes away. The old two-thirds density minimum is replaced by a ceiling: the base zoning can allow no more than 15 units or 26,250 sf of floor area, so some denser lots no longer qualify. Front setbacks are capped at 10 ft, and height limits can't cap the number of stories. CC&Rs that would block an eligible project are unenforceable, except inside a common interest development such as a condo or planned development.
What's the difference between SB 684 and SB 1123?
Both are part of the Starter Home Revitalization Act. SB 684 (2023) opened the ten-home path on multifamily-zoned land; SB 1123 (2024) extended it to vacant single-family lots up to 1.5 acres.
This page is general information, not legal advice. It summarizes California law as of November 2026. Cities adopt their own implementing ordinances, and eligibility depends on site-specific facts. Confirm with the local planning department and your land use counsel before acquiring a site.
Send us an address
Tell us where the site is and what you are hoping to build. We will tell you which of these laws applies and roughly how many homes it can hold.