Urban farming is growing fast from school gardens to rooftop kale, community plots to backyard citrus trees. But as a team of UCLA researchers discovered, growing your own food in Los Angeles County isn’t always as simple as planting seeds.
Their project, focused on mapping and analyzing the urban agriculture landscape of Greater LA, found a surprising barrier to growing local food: the tangled mess of outdated or inconsistent local regulations.
“Urban agriculture is resurgent in LA right now. There’s great energy behind it,” said project leader Carol Goldstein. “There’s also interest among community leaders — economic development, school gardens, even local food entrepreneurship. The arena is there. The data wasn’t.”
A Map of Who Can Grow and Where
To bring clarity, Goldstein’s team gathered information on nearly 1,300 urban farming sites across LA County. That includes over 760 school gardens, hundreds of community plots, and even individual home growers. But what they found wasn’t just enthusiasm. It was confusion.
Each city in LA County has its own rules and they vary wildly. What’s allowed in Pasadena might be prohibited in Altadena. Some cities explicitly permit urban food cultivation. Others stay silent, while a few still impose rules based on older suburban-style zoning codes.
“What strikes all of us is the complexity — and the fact that it’s not generally known or well organized,” Goldstein said.
What the Rules Say (and Don’t Say)
The research team created a city-by-city index of ordinances covering urban agricultural practices, from composting and irrigation to selling produce or raising small animals. Many cities allow vegetable gardening but restrict or outright ban things like:
- Selling produce from your home or garden
- Keeping chickens, goats, or rabbits
- Hosting garden-based education events
- Using shared water access or greywater systems
In fact, while 87% of the county’s cities regulate animal keeping, only 25% have clear policies on growing fruits and vegetables a mismatch that makes little sense in today’s food system.
Redefining Local Food as Local Business
Urban growers aren’t just hobbyists — many are trying to turn passion into small, sustainable businesses. Whether it’s selling microgreens to restaurants, offering produce boxes to neighbors, or running school garden programs, the potential for economic growth is real.
But zoning laws and unclear permitting rules often get in the way. For instance, selling produce from a home garden might be classified as a yard sale, triggering unrelated local regulations.
“These are small entrepreneurial businesses that could benefit from understanding how to expand their practice,” Goldstein said.
Since the Study: Has Anything Changed?
Since this study was first conducted, some LA cities have updated their urban agriculture ordinances, especially during and after the pandemic. Access to healthy, local food became a priority for many residents and officials took notice.
- Los Angeles City Council now supports more community gardens and food-growing spaces through urban agriculture incentive zones.
- AB 551, a California state law, allows cities and counties to give tax breaks to landowners who allow urban farming on vacant lots.
- And a growing number of cities nationwide — from Denver to Detroit — are passing more supportive policies for backyard and small-scale farming.
Still, gaps remain. Zoning laws often lag behind lifestyle trends, and the rules can be tough to navigate without legal help.
Why This Matters
Urban agriculture is more than a trend. It’s about:
- Food justice
- Healthier communities
- Resilience in times of crisis
- Climate-smart local economies
To unlock its full potential, we need to make growing food easier, not harder especially in underserved communities where grocery store access is limited and fresh produce is costly.
Final Takeaway
Urban farmers and gardeners are already showing up for their communities. It’s time for city governments to do the same by cutting unnecessary red tape, updating outdated codes, and creating clear, consistent policies that support local food systems.
Thanks to the work of teams like UCLA’s, we now have the data to back up what many people already know: urban farming works. It just needs room and a little regulatory breathing space to grow.
Suggested Reads
More from Healthy Living Magazine
Additional Resources
- UCLA Urban Agriculture Mapping Project (PDF summary)
- California Urban Agriculture Policy Report – UC ANR
- AB 551 Overview – California Legislative Information
Amelia Anderson
Amelia Anderson is the co-founder of Healthy Living Magazine and a passionate advocate for everyday wellness that fits real life. With a background in lifestyle journalism, she curates content that helps readers feel good without the pressure. Whether she’s testing the latest lipgloss trend or sharing her favorite mindful rituals, Amelia brings warmth, curiosity, and honesty to everything she writes.
