Insights

SB 684 in Culver City: Inside the City’s First Small-Lot Approvals

Oliver Thornton · October 24, 2026

General information only. This article is educational and is not legal, tax, financial, lending or investment advice. Do your own due diligence and confirm everything with your own qualified professionals before relying on it. Read the full disclaimer.

Culver City has become one of the most active places in Los Angeles County for SB 684 small-lot homes. Its multifamily-zoned blocks, strong owner-occupant demand and location between the Westside and downtown make it close to ideal for new fee-simple starter homes. This guide covers what has happened so far and what owners should know.

The First Approval in the City

The Culver VI at 3850 Westwood Boulevard was the first SB 684 approval in Culver City. It subdivides one lot into six developable fee-simple lots, and its tentative tract map has been approved. When the project refinanced into its construction loan, the lots appraised as entitled land well above the purchase price, and the loan closed with no cash required at closing. The project is about three months from ready-to-issue building permits, with construction expected to start in January 2027 (estimated).

More Projects in the Pipeline

Project	Homes	Status
The Culver VI, 3850 Westwood	6	Map approved; nearing ready-to-issue permits
The Harter V, 4058 Harter	5	In entitlement
The Helms VI, 3562 Helms	6	In entitlement
The Sentney VI, 3011 Sentney	6 (about 1,300 sq ft each)	In escrow

These are Assemble Capital projects developed by Thornton Development Group. Timelines are estimates and plans may change.

What Qualifies in Culver City

Multifamily zoning is the most direct path. Many Culver City blocks zoned for two or more units have a single older house on a lot that can now carry six homes.
Lot size of at least 5,000 square feet, ideally 6,000 or more.
Tenant history: owner-occupied, or no rental history in the last five years, and no Ellis Act withdrawal in the last fifteen. Culver City has its own rent-control rules, so tenant history is checked early.
Hazards: outside fire hazard severity zones and the law’s other exclusions, which favors the flats.

Timelines We Have Seen

Across our Culver City projects, the path from the start of entitlement to ready-to-issue permits has taken about 12 months, and it is trending toward 9–10 months as the building department gets familiar with the law. Construction then takes about 12 months. See the entitlement process, step by step.

Taxes on Sale

Culver City is a separate city from Los Angeles, so Measure ULA does not apply. The city has its own transfer tax on higher-value sales. Entry-level fee-simple homes sell at price points where that tax is far less of a factor than on luxury sales.

Own a Lot in Culver City?

If you own a multifamily-zoned lot with an older home on it, it may be worth a quick look. Read what to expect when you sell to an SB 684 developer, or send us the address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has Culver City approved SB 684 projects?
Yes. The Culver VI at 3850 Westwood Boulevard, an Assemble Capital project, was the first SB 684 approval in Culver City, and several more projects are moving through the process.

Which Culver City lots qualify for SB 684?
Generally multifamily-zoned lots in the flats that clear the law's tenant-history and hazard screens. Vacant single-family lots can qualify under SB 1123.

How long does an SB 684 project take in Culver City?
On recent projects, about 12 months from the start of entitlement to ready-to-issue permits, trending toward 9 to 10 months, then about 12 months of construction. These are estimates.

Does Measure ULA apply in Culver City?
No. Culver City is a separate city from Los Angeles, so Measure ULA does not apply. Culver City has its own transfer tax on higher-value sales.

Important Disclaimer

This article is published by Assemble Capital for general informational and educational purposes only. It is not legal, tax, accounting, lending, appraisal, real estate brokerage or investment advice, and it is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Laws, regulations, government programs, lending practices, market conditions and local procedures change often and vary by jurisdiction and by property. The information here may be incomplete, out of date or not applicable to your situation, and we have no obligation to update it.

No one, including investors, lenders, property owners, buyers, sellers, agents, brokers, wholesalers or developers, should rely on this article in making any decision. Before acting on any topic discussed here, independently verify the information and conduct your own due diligence with qualified legal, tax, financial, lending, appraisal and real estate professionals and the applicable government agencies.

References to projects, timelines, approvals, appraisals, financing, prices or market conditions are illustrative, may change, and are not predictions, promises or guarantees of any result. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

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