California density bonus law (1979)
California enacted one of the nation's first density bonus laws, letting developers build more units than zoning allows if they set aside a portion below market rate. The statute created the mechanism now used across the state.
Cities were required to grant density bonuses, giving developers a predictable path to extra units.
The law became the template for the incentives used at Riverwalk and thousands of other California projects.
Riverwalk's 814 units and 3.2:1 floor area ratio rely directly on this bonus mechanism to exceed the Ventura Boulevard Specific Plan limits.
