Governor Gavin Newsom signed two bills Wednesday aimed at filling Downtown Los Angeles's vacant storefronts and cutting through the permitting delays that have kept them empty, both authored by Assemblymember Mark González. Assembly Bill 1679 creates a new fast-track permit for pop-up businesses, while Assembly Bill 2418 sets strict deadlines for local agencies reviewing commercial building plans.
As reported by MyNewsLA.com, AB 1679 requires California cities and counties to establish a streamlined Temporary Commercial Activation permit, letting low-risk pop-up retail and food concepts operate in vacant storefronts for up to 120 days. The bills arrived alongside companion legislation including AB 1693, part of a broader package Newsom's office says targets California's 7.6 million small businesses, according to the Office of Governor Gavin Newsom.
González said bureaucratic nonsense and chronic permitting delays are what separate vibrant downtown corridors from shuttered storefronts, per the same MyNewsLA.com account, and he thanked Newsom for signing both measures into law. His Assembly District 54 stretches across Los Angeles, Commerce, Montebello and Vernon.
Strict New Deadlines for Commercial Permit Reviews
AB 2418 establishes review timelines for local agencies handling permits for one- to three-story Group B occupancy buildings and retail projects, and requires those agencies to give applicants estimated timelines for plan checks, the MyNewsLA.com report notes. Under the law, excessive delay is defined as taking more than 30 days for an initial nonresidential plan check or 60 days total including resubmittals. On request, the local agency generally must contract with or employ a private plan checker; an applicant may retain a private provider at the applicant's expense if the agency determines that no provider is available or qualified. After receiving a report from a private plan checker, the local agency is required to act within 10 business days, according to the Assembly Committee on Local Government.
Michelle Ware, who leads BOMA Greater Los Angeles, said González listened to her organization's members and addressed permitting delays that were affecting business openings and investment, thanking him for authoring AB 2418 and delivering the reform, per the MyNewsLA.com article. BOMA Greater Los Angeles was a co-sponsor of AB 2418.
A Downtown Vacancy Crisis in Numbers
A Downtown Vacancy Crisis in Numbers The legislation lands amid ongoing efforts to revitalize Downtown Los Angeles. The Central City Association of Los Angeles's September 2025 Revive DTLA plan included calls for City Hall action. Office vacancy in the district remained a concern. It climbed above 35% in 2026, Bisnow reported, well above the roughly 25% citywide average. Hoodline has previously reported on rising DTLA vacancy and its effect on efforts to repurpose downtown office space.
Small Business Advocates Push for Faster Openings
Small Business Advocates Push for Faster Openings The bill was co-authored by González and Assemblymember Buffy Wicks, and its 120-day pop-up window is designed to give restaurant and retail concepts a lower-risk way to test vacant spaces without committing to the cost of a permanent buildout.
The approach offers a strategy for opening vacant storefronts. BOMA praised AB 2418. Downtown has also seen a slow return of office workers and elevated office vacancy.
