Multifamily

— By Kitty Wallace of Colliers — The Los Angeles multifamily market is undergoing a short-term reset as a recent wave of deliveries has softened rents and modestly increased vacancy. However, this dislocation is proving transitory as development has slowed dramatically and the forward pipeline is effectively falling off a cliff beyond 2026, reinforcing what remains one of the most supply constrained and fundamentally durable markets in the country.  Since the onset of COVID, the Los Angeles market has contended with elevated legislative risk, homelessness and crime concerns, modest population fluctuations, rising operating expenses, and, most notably, increased insurance premiums and utility costs. Yet, with a vacancy in the mid-5 percent range, this multifamily market continues to outperform the national average of roughly 8 percent. Rents are now stabilizing and beginning to inflect upward as concessions burn off and demand normalizes. Policy Headwinds, Construction Challenges, Emerging Tailwinds The ULA tax, imposing a 5.5 percent levy on transactions above $10.6 million, has further constrained new construction. This has made it increasingly difficult for projects to pencil and has driven many sites toward lower-density uses or affordable housing backed by subsidized capital.  As a result, much of the current development activity is concentrated among …