A California law intended to create more housing is causing an unexpected conflict in Los Angeles, where some landlords are converting apartment parking spaces and garages into new rental units, leaving longtime tenants worried about losing an essential part of their homes.
The dispute is especially serious for older renters and people with disabilities who depend on nearby parking to reach medical appointments, buy groceries and maintain their independence.
In neighborhoods such as Hollywood, Koreatown, Pico-Union and Silver Lake, tenants are challenging plans to eliminate parking spaces that were included in their rental agreements.
Some have taken their landlords and the city to court.
The conflict, detailed in a November 3 Los Angeles Times investigation, raises a difficult question: Can California expand its housing supply without taking away services that existing renters need to remain in their homes?
For One Hollywood Renter, Losing Parking Could Mean Losing Her Independence
Tracey Ellis, 70, has lived in a rent-stabilized apartment near the Sunset Strip since 2001.
She uses a cane or walker and experiences significant pain when walking. The approximately 20-foot distance between her apartment and garage allows her to access her car without traveling far.
Her parking space is included in her lease, and she relies on it for medical appointments, groceries and everyday errands.
But Ellis recently learned that her landlord plans to build a three-bedroom accessory dwelling unit above the building's garages.
Construction could eliminate access to the parking spaces for one to two years.
For Ellis, who lives on a fixed income and pays just over $1,600 in monthly rent, the prospect is frightening. Street parking in the surrounding neighborhood can be difficult to find, and walking from a distant parking space may not be physically manageable.
The tenants were initially offered a $100 monthly rent reduction to compensate for the temporary loss of parking.
Ellis told the Los Angeles Times that the amount would not cover the cost of transportation she would need without access to her car.
She has requested a disability-related parking accommodation from the property owner.
Her landlord, Alex Goodson, told the newspaper that he intends to follow applicable laws while considering the needs of existing residents.
Goodson said the proposed apartment would be built above the garages rather than replacing them permanently, and that residents would regain their parking after construction.
He also said he was working with residents who requested disability accommodations.
The disagreement remains unresolved, but Ellis fears that losing parking for an extended period could ultimately force her to leave her apartment.
California's SB 1211 Makes It Easier to Build ADUs
The dispute stems partly from Senate Bill 1211, a California law that took effect January 1, 2025.
The legislation expanded opportunities to build accessory dwelling units on properties containing existing multifamily housing.
ADUs are smaller, independent residential units constructed on properties that already contain housing. They can include converted garages, newly constructed apartments and other qualifying structures.
Under SB 1211, certain multifamily properties may accommodate up to eight detached ADUs, provided the total does not exceed the number of existing residential units on the property.
The law also prevents local governments from requiring replacement parking when qualifying uncovered parking spaces are demolished in connection with ADU construction.
Supporters argue that eliminating parking requirements reduces construction expenses and allows more housing to be built on land already used for residential purposes.
But the legislation does not specifically explain how those development rules interact with parking spaces already promised to tenants through rental agreements.
That omission has become the center of a growing legal dispute.
The California Department of Housing and Community Development has indicated that landlords and tenants must also consider the laws governing their existing lease agreements.
In other words, permission to construct an ADU does not necessarily resolve every legal question involving the removal of tenant parking.
Hollywood Tenants Challenge the Loss of 20 Parking Spaces
The issue has already reached Los Angeles County Superior Court.
Residents of a rent-stabilized Hollywood apartment building filed a lawsuit challenging city permits that would allow 20 existing parking spaces to be converted into nine ADUs.
The tenants argue that the city authorized construction without adequately accounting for parking rights established through their rental agreements.
Their attorney, Sabrina Venskus, maintains that parking provided with a rent-stabilized apartment is part of the housing services protected by Los Angeles' Rent Stabilization Ordinance.
The residents want the city to stop approving ADU projects that eliminate parking spaces currently used by tenants under their leases.
In May 2026, a judge temporarily halted construction while the legal dispute proceeds.
The lawsuit has not established a final ruling on whether the proposed conversions violate the tenants' rights.
Attorneys representing the property owner disagree with the tenants' position.
Attorney Jacob H. Zadeh argues that converting parking into residential units is a practical way to address the city's housing shortage and that removing parking does not constitute an eviction.
The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office has also defended the city's permitting decisions, arguing that local tenant protections cannot prevent the ADU conversions authorized by state law.
The court dispute could help clarify how California housing development requirements interact with existing rental agreements and local rent stabilization protections.
Another Silver Lake Tenant Files a Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
A separate conflict in Silver Lake demonstrates why parking access can be particularly important for older residents.
Karen Numme, 83, has lived in her rent-stabilized apartment building since 1995.
She pays approximately $1,333 per month and has mobility limitations that make walking long distances difficult.
Her landlord has proposed replacing existing garage parking with two new ADUs, permanently eliminating the space she uses.
For Numme, the surrounding neighborhood presents additional challenges. Silver Lake's steep streets and limited parking make finding a nearby alternative difficult.
In September, she sued her landlord, alleging that removing her parking violates California disability and fair housing protections, as well as Los Angeles tenant anti-harassment laws.
She has also requested a reasonable accommodation related to her parking needs.
Her attorney, Frances Campbell, told the Los Angeles Times that the dispute is not about opposing housing construction in general. The concern is whether development can proceed without imposing disproportionate burdens on older and disabled tenants.
The landlord's representative did not respond to the newspaper's request for comment.
As of November 3, the case remains unresolved, and the allegations have not been established by a final court judgment.
What Los Angeles Rent Control Says About Parking
The City of Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Ordinance treats parking as a housing service when it is provided as part of a covered tenancy.
That distinction matters because landlords generally cannot reduce housing services without addressing the effect on the tenant's rent.
Under Los Angeles Housing Department regulations, removing a service such as parking may entitle a tenant to a corresponding rent reduction.
The department considers factors including the service's importance, the tenant's reliance on it, its market value and the reasonable cost of obtaining a replacement.
However, those regulations also make clear that calculating a rent reduction does not itself authorize a landlord to take away a service.
Tenants may have separate contractual or other legal remedies.
This is a central issue in the current ADU disputes.
From the city's perspective, a rent reduction may compensate some tenants for losing parking.
But tenant advocates argue that compensation cannot necessarily replace a service that makes it possible for someone to continue living independently.
A monthly discount may be useful for a renter who can easily park elsewhere. It may offer little practical help to someone who cannot safely walk several blocks.
Disability Protections Add Another Legal Question
California fair housing laws require housing providers to consider reasonable accommodations for tenants with disabilities.
An accommodation may involve changing a policy or providing an accessible parking arrangement when necessary for someone to use and enjoy their home.
The California Civil Rights Department identifies accessible parking as one example of a reasonable accommodation.
That does not mean every parking request must be granted exactly as presented. Landlords may need to evaluate the circumstances and discuss effective alternatives with the tenant.
But housing providers cannot simply disregard qualifying disability-related requests.
For tenants such as Ellis and Numme, the question extends beyond whether a landlord can legally construct additional housing.
It also concerns whether eliminating existing parking would interfere with their ability to remain in their apartments.
The lawsuits may help determine how those obligations apply when ADU development is involved.
Housing Advocates Say Los Angeles Needs More Homes
Not everyone agrees that preserving parking should take priority over building new housing.
California YIMBY, an organization advocating for expanded housing construction, supported SB 1211.
Its communications director, Matthew Lewis, told the Los Angeles Times that Los Angeles faces a more serious shortage of homes than parking spaces.
From that perspective, converting underused parking areas into apartments can help address the housing shortage without requiring developers to acquire additional land.
Supporters also argue that excessive parking requirements increase development costs and discourage construction in neighborhoods where public transportation is available.
Lewis suggested that cities should consider ways to help vulnerable tenants affected by parking loss, including parking subsidies, additional accessible spaces and improved transportation services.
Those proposals reflect a possible middle ground, but they may not address every situation.
For someone with significant mobility limitations, a distant accessible parking space or substitute transportation service may not provide the same independence as a garage immediately beside their home.
The question is whether new housing can be added while preserving practical access for existing residents.
State Lawmakers May Revisit the Issue
The growing disputes are attracting attention from state officials.
Assemblymember Nick Schultz, a Democrat representing Burbank, told the Los Angeles Times that he intends to examine possible unintended consequences of SB 1211.
He expressed concern about situations in which the law might be used in ways that contribute to tenant displacement.
Tenant advocates have called for clearer rules distinguishing unused parking areas from spaces already occupied or included in rental agreements.
Such changes could reduce uncertainty for renters, landlords and local permitting agencies.
For now, however, property owners and tenants are navigating a combination of state ADU rules, local rent stabilization protections, lease agreements and fair housing requirements.
What Tenants Should Do if Their Parking Is Being Removed
Los Angeles tenants who receive notice that their parking will be eliminated should first review their rental agreements and any documents identifying the space as part of their tenancy.
Written notices from the landlord, photographs of the parking area and records of how long the space has been provided may also be useful.
Renters in properties covered by the city's Rent Stabilization Ordinance can contact the Los Angeles Housing Department to ask about housing service reductions and possible rent adjustments.
Tenants with disability-related parking needs can request a reasonable accommodation from their landlord and seek assistance from a fair housing organization if the request is denied or ignored.
Those facing a substantial change to their tenancy may also benefit from consulting a housing attorney before accepting an agreement or moving out.
Because the interaction between ADU construction and existing parking rights remains contested, the appropriate remedy may depend on the individual lease and circumstances.
More Housing Shouldn't Automatically Mean Displacing Existing Residents
Los Angeles urgently needs additional rental housing, and accessory dwelling units have become an important part of the city's construction strategy.
But increasing the number of apartments is only one part of addressing housing insecurity.
Keeping longtime renters safely housed matters, too.
For tenants who depend on parking to work, care for family members or manage mobility limitations, losing that service can have consequences far beyond inconvenience.
The current disputes expose a gap between policies intended to encourage construction and protections designed to preserve existing tenancies.
As the lawsuits proceed and lawmakers consider possible changes, Los Angeles faces a larger question about how new housing should be added to established rental properties.
The goal of creating more homes is important. So is ensuring that the people already living there are not forced out in the process.
Sources
Original reporting: Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, November 3, 2026. Parking Is a Lifeline for Renters. L.A. Landlords Are Turning Spaces Into ADUs.
Official California guidance: California Department of Housing and Community Development, March 2026. Accessory Dwelling Unit Handbook.
Los Angeles Housing Department: Accessory Dwelling Unit Information and Rent Stabilization Requirements.
Official rent regulations: Los Angeles Housing Department, Rent Adjustment Commission Regulation 410. Reduction in Housing Services.
Fair housing guidance: California Civil Rights Department, February 2026. Housing and Reasonable Accommodations for People With Disabilities.
This article draws on previously published reporting and official housing regulations. ProTenant.org did not independently interview the tenants, landlords or attorneys mentioned. Pending legal allegations are not findings of wrongdoing.
