Commercial use (along with residential, industrial, open space, and various other uses) is a major component of land use policy and zoning laws. Properties zoned for commercial use often include shopping malls, wholesale retail stores, offices, financial establishments, entertainment centers, and other similar businesses. Due to this, commercially zoned areas are of particular importance to better understanding local and regional economies. Whereas recommendations for the intensity and areas of commercial use in Los Angeles have been published elsewhere, this paper builds upon a growing body of academic and policy research that evidences growing opportunities in all neighborhoods for community economic development.

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