This ordinance requires that nothing less than a living wage be paid to employees of the city's service contractors, of certain of its lessees and licensees, and of its financial assistance recipients. Employers should also provide at least 12 compensated days off per year and some payment towards the provision of health care benefits for employees and their dependents. The ordinance also specifies that employer retaliation is prohibited and details the enforcement methods for this law.

This ordinance enacts a temporary moratorium on big box store applications and hearings to allow time for residents and town officials to consider the impacts of large-scale retail and amends the town zoning law accordingly.

'Adaptive Reuse' means adapting an existing economically obsolete building for a new, more productive purpose. Los Angeles' Adaptive Reuse Program converts existing buildings to new residential uses, including apartments, condos, live/work units and hotels. The program works by streamlining the process developers must follow to get their projects approved, resulting in substantial time saving. This ordinance provides incentives for rental and condominium adaptive reuse projects in downtown Los Angeles and parking incentives for condominium adaptive reuse projects. It also enables a Zoning Administrator to approve adaptive reuse projects that meet certain requirements. 2001 Los Angeles Ordinance 174315 and 2003 Los Angeles Ordinance 175588 amended this ordinance.

This study evaluates the commercial development in the 1990s undertaken by the Community Redevelopment Agency the City of LA's best known economic development agency. The report finds the agency's development strategies fail to provide a maximum return on investment for local communities. In particular the programs are not targeted, often subsidize the richest, do not require a living wage or quality jobs, and are often financially risky.