10 Homes + 10 JADUs on One North Hills Lot: SB 684 Small-Lot Townhomes vs SB 9 + ADU on Your Encino Lot - Cost and Who to Hire

Quick answer: On October 11, 2026, Urbanize LA reported a new application to Los Angeles City Planning for 9537 Lemona Avenue in North Hills. An existing single-family home would be torn down, and the lot would be subdivided into 10 parcels. Each parcel would get a new two-story single-family home with a junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU). The plans rely on SB 684 and SB 1123, the state laws that streamline subdivisions of up to 10 lots and 10 homes. An Encino owner should not assume the same path fits their lot. SB 684 covers lots zoned for multifamily housing. SB 1123 extends it to single-family-zoned lots only if they are vacant, meaning no permanent structure unless that structure is abandoned and uninhabitable. A typical occupied Encino single-family lot does not qualify. For that lot, the realistic options are usually an SB 9 urban lot split with up to two homes per lot, or simply adding an ADU and a JADU without splitting. Which team you hire depends on the path you choose.

An ADU (accessory dwelling unit) is a secondary home with its own living facilities on the same lot as a main house. It can be detached, attached, or converted from existing space. A JADU (junior ADU) is a smaller unit of up to 500 square feet built within a single-family home, or attached to it in some cases. SB 684 (2023) requires cities to review subdivisions of 10 or fewer parcels and homes on multifamily-zoned lots ministerially, without a public hearing. SB 1123 (2024) amended that law to cover vacant single-family-zoned lots of up to 1.5 acres starting July 1, 2025. Los Angeles City Planning calls this group of rules the Starter Home Revitalization Act (SHRA). SB 9 (2021) lets an owner of a qualifying single-family lot split it into two lots and build up to two homes on each, with conditions. A small-lot subdivision divides one lot into several small fee-simple lots, each with its own home, often in a townhome style. Encino is part of the City of Los Angeles, so maps go through City Planning and building permits go through LADBS.

Key Takeaways

• 9537 Lemona Ave. in North Hills: according to Urbanize LA, the filing proposes 10 parcels, each with a new two-story home and a JADU. Each home would have three bedrooms upstairs, and living space with a two-car garage below.
• The applicant is Igor Latsanovski, and Zeitouny & Associates, Inc. is the project representative. City records show the property sold earlier this year for about $1.1 million. 121 Design Build is not involved in this project.
• SB 684 applies to lots zoned for multifamily use, up to 5 acres, and substantially surrounded by urban uses. SB 1123 adds vacant single-family-zoned lots of up to 1.5 acres.
• Under the SHRA, vacant means no permanent structure when the application is filed, unless the structure is abandoned and uninhabitable. Housing that tenants occupied within the past five years does not count as vacant.
• New parcels must be at least 600 square feet in multifamily zones and 1,200 square feet in single-family zones. The average home size cannot exceed 1,750 net habitable square feet.
• LA City Planning says that in single-family zones it allows only JADUs on SHRA parcels, one attached JADU per new parcel, and JADUs do not count toward the 10-unit cap.
• Sites in high or very high fire hazard severity zones and other environmentally sensitive sites are excluded. That matters for parts of the Encino hills.
• SB 9 is built for occupied single-family lots. A lot split requires an affidavit that you intend to live in one of the units as your principal residence for at least three years, plus other conditions.
• For many Encino owners, adding an ADU plus a JADU without a subdivision is the fastest and simplest way to add housing.

What exactly is planned at 9537 Lemona Avenue in North Hills?

Urbanize LA reported that a single-family home near the Pacoima Wash in North Hills would be razed and replaced with townhome-style housing. The application to the Los Angeles Department of City Planning would subdivide the property into 10 parcels, each with a new single-family home and a junior ADU. Each home would be two stories, with three bedrooms on the upper floor and living space plus a two-car garage on the ground floor. The applicant is Igor Latsanovski, and Zeitouny & Associates, Inc. is the project representative. The plans rely on SB 1123 and SB 684. City records show the property sold earlier this year for roughly $1.1 million.

The article does not give the lot size, the zoning, the exact square footage of each home, or the architect. Since the existing house is being demolished, how the site qualifies depends on its zoning and on how the city applies the vacancy rules. We have not seen the application itself, so we will not guess. What matters for you is the pattern: one lot becomes 10 small lots, each with a home and a JADU, under a ministerial process.

How do SB 684 and SB 1123 work together?

SB 684 added Government Code section 66499.41. It requires a city to ministerially review a parcel map or a tentative and final map for a housing project that creates 10 or fewer parcels and 10 or fewer homes. The lot must be zoned for multifamily housing, no larger than 5 acres, and substantially surrounded by qualified urban uses. New parcels must be at least 600 square feet, and the average floor area of the homes cannot exceed 1,750 net habitable square feet. The city must approve or deny a complete application within 60 days. If it misses that deadline, the application is deemed approved.

SB 1123 amended the same section to add lots that are vacant and zoned for single-family residential development. Those lots can be no larger than 1.5 acres, and their new parcels must be at least 1,200 square feet. Los Angeles City Planning says SB 684 took effect July 1, 2024, and SB 1123 and AB 130 took effect July 1, 2025. In LA, the eligible multifamily zones include R2, RD, R3, R4, R5, and C zones. The eligible single-family zones, if the lot is vacant, include RA, RE, RS, R1, and similar zones. Projects get no CEQA review, no public hearings, and no appeals, but they must still meet objective standards.

Can I do the same thing on my Encino lot?

Usually not, if you live there. Most Encino residential lots are zoned single-family, such as RA, RE, RS, or R1. Under SB 1123, a single-family-zoned lot qualifies only if it is vacant: no permanent structure at the time of application, unless the structure is abandoned and uninhabitable. LA City Planning's memo says the city looks for evidence of both. Examples include at least 180 consecutive days of vacancy based on utility records, a secured or boarded-up structure, or an LADBS order to vacate. The law also says housing occupied by tenants within the last five years is not vacant, even if it has been demolished. An occupied family home in Encino does not meet that test. Do not plan to tear down an occupied home just to qualify.

Some lots along commercial corridors such as Ventura Boulevard are zoned for multifamily or commercial use. A lot like that may be eligible under SB 684 even with an existing building, subject to the other criteria. Check your zoning in ZIMAS before assuming either way. LA City Planning points to an SB 684 eligibility checklist in ZIMAS. Fire zones matter too: SHRA projects are excluded from high and very high fire hazard severity zones, and SB 9 has its own fire zone limits. Parts of the Encino hills south of Ventura Boulevard fall in those zones.

What does SB 9 allow on an occupied Encino single-family lot?

SB 9 added Government Code sections 65852.21 and 66411.7. In a single-family zone, it allows two homes on one lot. It also allows an urban lot split that creates two lots, generally each at least 1,200 square feet and no smaller than 40 percent of the original lot. Each new lot can have up to two homes. For a lot split, you must sign an affidavit that you intend to occupy one of the units as your principal residence for at least three years from approval. Exclusions include historic districts and landmarks, very high fire hazard severity zones (unless certain fire mitigation measures are met), flood and other hazard areas, and projects that would demolish or alter rent-restricted housing or housing occupied by tenants in the last three years. A lot created by an SB 9 lot split cannot later be subdivided under the SHRA.

When you combine a lot split with two units on each lot, the city does not have to allow ADUs or JADUs on top of those units. Check how LA treats your specific plan before counting units. A realistic SB 9 outcome on an Encino lot is your existing house on one lot, plus a new home or a duplex on the other. That is very different from 10 homes.

What about just adding an ADU and a JADU?

For many owners, this is the best option. State ADU law, which HCD summarizes on its ADU page, generally allows a detached ADU and a JADU on a single-family lot, and garage conversions are common. LADBS reviews ADU plans and issues ADU permits for City of LA properties, including Encino. There is no subdivision map, no new parcel, and no new lot for title or lending. You keep one lot and add rental or family housing. The trade-off is that you cannot sell the ADU separately the way you could sell a home on its own subdivided lot.

Encino SB 9 vs SB 684: how do the three paths compare?

What drives the cost of each path?

We are not publishing dollar figures here because costs depend heavily on the site. These are the drivers that move the numbers:

• Subdivision mapping: boundary and topographic surveys, a tentative and final map or parcel map prepared by a licensed land surveyor or civil engineer, and the review fees for that map. Paths (a) and (b) have these costs. Path (c) does not.
• Utilities per lot: a separately sold lot usually needs its own water, power, and sewer connections, and often its own meters. Ten lots means ten sets. An ADU can often share or extend the main house's service, depending on LADWP and LADBS requirements.
• Street and frontage work: new lots can trigger requirements for driveways, sidewalks, curb cuts, or street improvements, as well as fire access and hydrant requirements.
• Fees: plan check, permit, school, and other impact fees, which can vary by the size and number of units.
• Design and engineering: architecture, structural engineering, soils reports, energy compliance, and drainage plans. These costs grow with the number of buildings.
• Demolition and site work: demolition, grading, retaining walls, and access for construction equipment.
• Financing and time: carrying costs while maps and permits are in review. The SHRA's 60-day decision deadline helps, but construction and the final map still take time.

Who should you hire for each path?

Path (a), small-lot subdivision: this is developer-scale work. You need a licensed land surveyor or civil engineer for the map, a land use or permit representative like the one on the North Hills filing, an architect for the home plans, and a general contractor experienced with multi-home projects. Start with a zoning and eligibility review in ZIMAS against the City Planning SHRA memo.

Path (b), SB 9 lot split: start with a surveyor or civil engineer to confirm lot dimensions, the split line, and access. Then bring in an architect or design-build firm to plan the new home and confirm it fits setbacks, utilities, and access. A design-build firm can handle the building permit through LADBS and the construction under one contract, coordinating with the surveyor for the map.

Path (c), ADU + JADU: a design-build firm is usually the most direct choice. One team handles feasibility, design, engineering, the LADBS permit, and construction, so there is one point of contact for budget and schedule.

How can 121 Design Build help?

121 Design Build Inc. is a design-build firm based in Encino. We design, permit, and build ADUs, JADUs, garage conversions, additions, and new homes across Los Angeles. If the North Hills project has you wondering what your lot can hold, we can review your zoning, lot size, fire zone, and existing structures with you. We will tell you plainly whether an ADU and JADU, an SB 9 lot split, or something larger makes sense, and which consultants you would need. For ADU, JADU, and new-home work, we handle design, LADBS permitting, and construction under one contract. For lot splits, we coordinate with your surveyor or civil engineer. Call (424) 600-2100, email info@121designbuild.com, or visit 121designbuild.com. Our office is at 17801 Ventura Blvd, 2nd floor, Encino, CA 91316.

FAQ

Did 121 Design Build work on the North Hills project?

No. We are using the publicly reported filing as an example. The applicant is Igor Latsanovski, and Zeitouny & Associates, Inc. is the project representative.

Does SB 1123 apply to my Encino lot if I tear down my house first?

Not automatically. The vacancy test looks at the lot when you apply, and housing occupied by tenants within the past five years is excluded even if it was demolished. LA City Planning also says it applies the test in a way meant to prevent unnecessary demolitions. Get an eligibility review before you demolish anything.

How many lots can SB 9 create?

One split, into two lots. Each new lot can have up to two homes, subject to the law's conditions and the city's objective standards.

Do I have to live on the property for an SB 9 lot split?

Yes. The applicant must sign an affidavit stating an intent to occupy one of the housing units as a principal residence for at least three years from approval of the lot split, with limited exceptions.

Are JADUs allowed on SB 1123 parcels in LA?

LA City Planning says that in single-family zones it allows one attached JADU per new SHRA parcel, and JADUs do not count toward the 10-unit cap. That matches the North Hills plan of one JADU per home.

Is a fire zone a deal breaker?

SHRA projects are excluded from high and very high fire hazard severity zones. SB 9 excludes very high fire hazard severity zones unless certain fire mitigation measures are met. ADUs are often still possible in fire zones, with added requirements. Check your parcel in ZIMAS.

Is Encino under LADBS or Los Angeles County?

Encino is part of the City of Los Angeles. City Planning reviews maps, and LADBS handles building permits and inspections.

Sources

• Urbanize LA: 10 homes planned at 9537 Lemona Ave. in North Hills (October 11, 2026)
• California Legislative Information: SB 684 (2023)
• California Legislative Information: SB 1123 (2024)
• California Legislative Information: SB 9 (2021)
• Los Angeles City Planning: SHRA / SB 684 / SB 1123
• Los Angeles City Planning: SB 684 / SB 1123 implementation memo update
• HCD: SB 9 fact sheet
• HCD: Accessory Dwelling Units
• LADBS: Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU)
• ZIMAS: City of Los Angeles zoning and parcel information

This article is general information about California and City of Los Angeles rules as of October 11, 2026. It is not legal advice. Eligibility depends on your specific parcel; confirm with City Planning, LADBS, and a qualified professional before you act.

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