EPS provides rigorous analysis and insightful solutions to address complex challenges in real estate development, land use policy, and local government finance. We are motivated by the role our work can play in shaping places where people live and we strive to create high-quality urban environments that advance the principles of diversity, resiliency, and shared prosperity.
EPS offers a wealth of experience, robust technical expertise, and the ability to offer insightful solutions to address the challenges and opportunities of urban development.
This summer, EPS participated in another successful year of the Environmental Planning & Policy Internship Program (EEPIC), where interns collaborated on a fast-paced planning charrette focused on the City of San Diego's Otay Mesa-Nestor Community Plan Update.
Working with a multidisciplinary team, EPS's intern, Jasper Chew, helped develop a vision for transforming the Southland Plaza Shopping Center into a pedestrian-oriented, transit-accessible mixed-use residential village. The team's recommendations support the City's Climate Smart Villages strategy by promoting housing, mobility, and vibrant community spaces.
The final Ideas Report was presented to City of San Diego planning staff and industry professionals, and will help inform the early stages of the community plan update. EPS is proud to support programs like EEPIC that provide hands-on experience and help develop the next generation of planning professionals.
EPS was proud to participate alongside Dudek, Environmental Science Associates, Fehr & Peers, PlaceWorks, Rincon Consultants, and Ascent Environmental in supporting the next generation of planning professionals.
Presentation link: https://epsys.egnyte.com/dl/pvDbkTwkQrMF
Report link: https://epsys.egnyte.com/dl/QYFFMW6X4p6W
Measure ULA, the so-called “Mansion Tax,” was passed by voters in the City of Los Angeles in 2022 to add an additional transfer tax of 4.0% – 5.5% on all property sales over $5 million to fund affordable housing and homelessness services. Critics and academic studies have noted that Measure ULA seems to have slowed new construction and property sale transactions, which some attributed to the measure’s negative impact on real estate profit margins. The LA City Council is considering placing an amendment to Measure ULA on the November 2026 ballot that would provide exemptions to certain types of properties.
EPS was engaged by the Office of the City Administrative Officer (CAO) at the City of Los Angeles to analyze the impacts of the proposed changes, including exemptions for recently built multifamily, commercial, and mixed-use projects, as well as exemptions for disaster-damaged properties and properties sold at a loss.
EPS presented findings last month to a committee of the Los Angeles City Council. EPS’s research indicated that the proposed exemptions for newly constructed buildings could lead to more housing units being built because new construction would be more financially feasible. Most of the additional units would be market-rate, though some homes would be affordable units produced as inclusionary units in mixed-income buildings or funded through linkage fees generated by the unlocked development pipeline. This affordable housing production would partially offset the impact of lost ULA revenue, which also helps fund new affordable housing. The analysis also showed that losses in ULA tax revenue are partially offset by long-term property tax revenue generated by the long-term expansion of development, which boosts the City’s property tax base.
The analysis also showed that losses in ULA tax revenue are partially offset by long-term property tax revenue generated by the long-term expansion of development, which boosts the City’s property tax base. EPS also estimated the potential loss of ULA revenue from providing a three-year exemption for fire-damaged or otherwise disaster-impacted homes and of exempting properties sold at a loss.
EPS’s housing production estimates built on housing supply simulation model results from past research by the Terner Center for Housing Innovation. EPS also incorporated findings from researchers at University of California, Irvine, and Harvard University to estimate property tax impacts. In its analysis, EPS relied on ULA transaction data provided by the LA Housing Department, permit data from the LA Department of Building and Safety, sales data obtained from the LA County Assessor, home sale data from Redfin, and real estate data from Costar.
