SB 1123SB 1123 explained: up to 10 homes on a vacant single-family lot in California, and what SB 1116 changes
What is SB 1123?
SB 1123 is a California law, in effect since July 1, 2025, that lets the owner of a vacant lot zoned for single-family homes, up to 1.5 acres, split it into as many as 10 lots and build up to 10 homes. The city must decide a complete application within 60 days, with no public hearing and no discretionary review, or it is deemed approved.
It isn't a separate program: SB 1123 extended SB 684, the 2023 Starter Home Revitalization Act, from multifamily lots to vacant single-family lots. The rules are in Gov. Code §§ 66499.41 and 65852.28. In the City of Los Angeles it covers the A, RA, RE, RS, R1, RU, RZ and RW1 zones.
- Up to 10 lots and 10 homes; ADUs and JADUs don't count toward the 10.
- Lots of at least 1,200 sq ft, with no local minimum width, depth or frontage.
- Homes averaging 1,750 sq ft or less of net habitable floor area.
- Side and rear setbacks capped at 4 ft from the original lot lines, and at most one parking space per home (none near qualifying transit).
Example: a vacant 7,500 sq ft R1 lot in Los Angeles
An illustration of how the numbers work, not a specific parcel. Take an eligible vacant 7,500 sq ft R1 lot, 50 ft wide and 150 ft deep.
- How many lots. At 1,200 sq ft minimum, the lot can hold up to 6 new lots (7,500 ÷ 1,200 = 6.25). From 2027, SB 1116 allows single lots as small as 960 sq ft, but the lots still have to average 1,200 sq ft, so the maximum stays at 6. What it buys is flexibility: uneven lots that fit the site.
- Minimum homes. For applications before 2027, the project must reach at least 66% of the state default density of 30 homes per acre, about 3.4 homes on this lot, so a single house doesn't qualify.
- Floor area. With 6 homes, the city can't cap floor area below 1.0 times the lot, so at least 7,500 sq ft of homes. Under SB 1116 the floor rises to 1.25, or 9,375 sq ft.
- Setbacks. 4 ft at the sides and rear. Today LA's R1 front yard (20% of lot depth, up to 20 ft) still applies; from 2027 SB 1116 caps it at 10 ft, which frees about 500 sq ft of buildable ground on a 50 ft wide lot.
- Parking and height. At most one space per home, none within a half-mile walk of a major transit stop. The city can hold the homes to the R1 height limit, in feet only from 2027, with no cap on the number of floors.
A Brick Work report runs this on your actual lot, with a massing diagram showing how the homes fit.
What SB 1116 changes on January 1, 2027
SB 1116 (Chapter 808, Statutes of 2026), signed September 29, 2026, rewrites several SB 684 and SB 1123 rules for applications a city receives on or after January 1, 2027. Applications received before then stay under the current rules. The biggest change for most lots is the 10 ft front setback: it moves the buildable area forward without adding lots, because the new lots still have to average 1,200 sq ft.
| Rule | Before 2027 | From January 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Vacant (single-family lots) | No permanent structure, unless it is abandoned and uninhabitable | Also vacant if the structure is abandoned or fails listed habitability standards in Civil Code § 1941.1 |
| Site test | Multifamily lots up to 5 acres; lot must be substantially surrounded by urban uses | Urban-site test of Pub. Res. Code § 21080.66(a)(3); single-family lots keep the 1.5-acre cap |
| Smallest new lot | 600 sq ft (multifamily) / 1,200 sq ft (single-family) | 480 / 960 sq ft, if the new lots average at least 600 / 1,200 sq ft |
| Density | At least 66% of the zoning's or the state default density, whichever is greater | Base zoning may allow no more than 15 units (or 26,250 sq ft of residential floor area) |
| Front setback | Local rule (in LA R1, up to 20 ft) | Capped at 10 ft from the original lot line |
| Height | Single-family lots can be held to the zone's height limit | Height limits apply in feet only and can't cap the number of floors |
| Floor area ratio floor | 1.0 for 3–7 homes, 1.25 for 8–10 | 1.25 for every project |
| Parking | At most 1 space per home; none near qualifying transit | Same, and the city can't require enclosed or covered spaces |
| Final map | Normal recordation timeline | 60-day decision, or it is deemed approved |
Gov. Code §§ 66499.41 and 65852.28 as amended by SB 1116. In Altadena (ZIP codes 91001 and 91003), SB 1090 turns the law off for most applications submitted on or after October 1, 2026.
Key Benefits
10-Home Development
Build up to 10 homes on qualifying vacant single-family lots
Ministerial Approval
No discretionary review or public hearing, and a 60-day decision deadline once the application is complete, or it is deemed approved
Single-Family Zone Access
SB 1123 extends SB 684's streamlined process to vacant lots of up to 1.5 acres in single-family zones
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can help with SB 1123 in Los Angeles?
Brick Work specializes in SB 1123 property analysis for Los Angeles landowners. We've completed 3,000+ development feasibility reports analyzing starter home development opportunities under SB 1123. Our $250 Brick Work report examines your property's eligibility for up to 10-home development with ministerial approval.
What is SB 1123?
SB 1123 (Caballero, Chapter 294, Statutes of 2024) amended Gov. Code §§ 65852.28 and 66499.41, part of the Starter Home Revitalization Act that SB 684 created in 2023. It is not a separate program, and it is unrelated to the Builder's Remedy, which comes from the Housing Accountability Act. Since July 1, 2025, the act's ministerial process covers vacant lots zoned for single-family homes of up to 1.5 acres, as well as multifamily-zoned lots. A qualifying lot can be split into up to 10 parcels for a project of up to 10 homes, with no discretionary review or public hearing. There is no jobs, schools or transit test.
What properties qualify for SB 1123 in Los Angeles?
A lot must meet every requirement in Gov. Code § 66499.41(a). For the single-family path that SB 1123 added, the lot must be zoned for single-family homes (in the City of LA: A1, A2, RA, RE, RS, R1, RU, RZ or RW1), vacant, no larger than 1.5 acres, and substantially surrounded by qualified urban uses. That means at least 75% of its perimeter adjoins, or is across an improved street from, parcels developed with residential, commercial, public institutional, transit or retail uses. It must be a legal parcel in an incorporated city that includes part of a Census urbanized area, as Los Angeles does, or in an urbanized area or urban cluster in a county of more than 600,000 people. It can't have been created by an earlier SB 684/1123 or SB 9 lot split, and it needs public water and sewer. Excluded sites include very high fire hazard severity zones (LA City Planning also excludes high zones), wetlands, prime farmland, protected habitat and conservation land; flood-zone, fault-zone and hazardous-waste sites qualify only if they meet specific conditions. There is no jobs, schools or transit test. Lots in ZIP codes 91001 and 91003 (Altadena) are excluded for applications submitted on or after October 1, 2026, with limited exceptions (SB 1090). SB 1116 changes parts of this test for applications received on or after January 1, 2027.
Does SB 1123 apply if there's a house on my lot?
Only if the lot still counts as vacant. Under current law, "vacant" means having no permanent structure, unless the structure is abandoned and uninhabitable (Gov. Code § 66499.41(a)(2)(A)(ii)). Three kinds of housing never count as vacant: housing whose rent or sales price is restricted to lower-income levels by a recorded covenant, ordinance or law; housing under local rent or sales-price control; and housing occupied by tenants in the five years before the application, even if it has since been vacated or demolished. LA City Planning lists the evidence it accepts for abandonment and lack of habitability, such as at least 180 days of vacancy shown in utility records or an unresolved order to vacate. For applications received on or after January 1, 2027, SB 1116 (Stats. 2026, ch. 808) loosens the test: a structure that is abandoned, or that fails certain basic habitability standards in Civil Code § 1941.1, no longer blocks vacancy.
How many homes can I build under SB 1123?
Up to 10 homes on up to 10 new parcels. Accessory dwelling units and junior ADUs don't count toward the 10, but the city doesn't have to allow them on the new parcels (Gov. Code § 66499.41(g)). Each new parcel must be at least 1,200 sq ft unless the city allows smaller by ordinance, and local minimum lot width, depth and frontage rules don't apply. The homes must average no more than 1,750 net habitable sq ft. There is also a floor: unless the lot is a housing-element site, the project must reach at least 66% of the zoning's maximum density or 66% of the state default density in Gov. Code § 65583.2(c)(3)(B), whichever is greater. The city can apply its objective standards, but it can't require side and rear setbacks over 4 feet from the original lot lines, setbacks between the homes beyond the building code, more than one parking space per home (none within a half-mile walk of a major transit stop or high-quality transit corridor, or within one block of a car-share vehicle), or a floor area ratio limit below 1.0 for 3 to 7 homes or 1.25 for 8 to 10 homes. On single-family lots the city may hold buildings to the existing zoning's height limit. These are the rules for applications received before January 1, 2027; SB 1116 changes several of them after that.
How long does SB 1123 approval take?
The city must approve or deny the parcel or tentative map, and the housing project, within 60 days of receiving a complete application. If it misses that deadline, the application is deemed approved (Gov. Code §§ 66499.41(c), 65852.28(c)(2)). Review is ministerial: no discretionary review and no public hearing. In Los Angeles, CEQA review and appeals don't apply, the normal 30-day completeness check still applies, the final map then follows the normal recordation timeline, and Coastal Zone sites still need a Coastal Development Permit with a public hearing (LA City Planning SHRA memo, Oct. 28, 2025). SB 1123 does not waive fees: LA charges map fees and development impact fees such as the LAUSD school fee, Park Fee and Affordable Housing Linkage Fee.
Can I sell or finance the new lots separately?
Not until each lot has a finished home, unless the city allows it by ordinance or map condition. Under Gov. Code § 66499.41(e), as amended by AB 130 (2025), no one may sell, lease or finance a parcel from an SB 684/1123 subdivision separately from the others unless it contains a completed home that meets the building code, already contains a legally permitted home, is reserved for circulation, open space or common area, or is the last undeveloped parcel. A designated remainder parcel is exempt. A violation is treated as an illegal sale under the Subdivision Map Act. The homes can be held as fee-simple lots, part of a common interest development such as condominiums, a housing cooperative, a community land trust, or a tenancy in common.
Has SB 1123 changed since it took effect?
Yes. AB 130 (2025) let a subdivision designate a remainder parcel that keeps existing uses, adds no new homes and doesn't count toward the 10-parcel cap, and rewrote the limits on selling, leasing or financing the new parcels. SB 1090 (Stats. 2026, ch. 1006), an urgency law in effect since September 30, 2026, bars applications in ZIP codes 91001 and 91003 (Altadena) submitted on or after October 1, 2026. Its exceptions cover projects with a development or preliminary application filed before October 1, 2026 that file a complete application within 180 days after that date, and 100% affordable, deed-restricted projects by a community land trust or qualified nonprofit. SB 1116 (Stats. 2026, ch. 808) changes several rules for applications received on or after January 1, 2027: a lot counts as vacant if its structure is abandoned or fails listed habitability standards in Civil Code § 1941.1; single-family lots stay capped at 1.5 acres but use a new urban-site test (Pub. Res. Code § 21080.66(a)(3)); new parcels can be as small as 960 sq ft if they average at least 1,200 sq ft; the 66% minimum-density rule is replaced by a requirement that the base zoning allow no more than 15 units (or 26,250 sq ft of residential floor area where zoning sets no unit maximum), with a separate path for lower-income housing-element sites; front setbacks are capped at 10 feet; the floor area ratio floor becomes 1.25 for every project; and final maps get their own 60-day deemed-approved deadline.
How much does SB 1123 analysis cost?
SB 1123 analysis is included in the $250 Brick Work report. It covers eligibility review, unit capacity analysis, ministerial approval pathway guidance, and actionable development recommendations for your Los Angeles property, and where an SB 1123 small-lot subdivision applies it includes a massing diagram. A Brick Work report is $250 and covers every California housing law that applies to up to 10 adjoining parcels under one base zone, delivered in 2 business days. Sites with more than one base zone, multiple overlays, or other advanced land-use diligence take the $500 Advanced report. Pro is $250 a month and includes 2 reports a month plus priority turnaround.
Sources
- Gov. Code § 66499.41 (subdivision maps)
- Gov. Code § 65852.28 (housing project standards)
- Gov. Code § 65913.4.5 (building permits)
- SB 1123 (Stats. 2024, ch. 294)
- AB 130 (Stats. 2025, ch. 22)
- SB 1090 (Stats. 2026, ch. 1006)
- SB 1116 (Stats. 2026, ch. 808)
- LA City Planning, Starter Home Revitalization Act memo (Oct. 28, 2025)
Last reviewed October 23, 2026.
Ready to Get Started?
Order your Brick Work report today and discover your property's up-to-10-home development potential.
Get Your Report - $250