Adaptive reuse refers to the process of reusing an existing building for a purpose different from its original use. Adaptive reuse of existing, underutilized building stock is the quickest way to bring units to market.

 In 1999, the City of Los Angeles passed the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance (ARO), which gave developers permit incentives to convert historic, usually-abandoned, commercial buildings into residential projects.

All types of buildings can be transformed into housing:

• Office into apartments
• Motels into housing
• Church into senior housing
• Storage containers into backyard homes
• Grain silo into a house