In response to Los Angeles’ severe housing crisis—one of the worst among major U.S. cities— and state pressure, Mayor Karen Bass introduced Executive Directive 7. This surprising executive action aims to cut bureaucratic obstacles and stimulate housing development across all income brackets. Background Los Angeles struggles with high rents, overcrowded conditions, and increasing housing instability due to decades of restrained housing production. This shortage of affordable and accessible housing has highlighted the deepening disparities within communities and escalated the city’s homelessness crisis. Los Angeles’ housing crisis is a result of low levels of housing production and restrictive land use regulations dating