America’s malls are dying as consumers continue to flock to online retailers instead of dealing with the in-person shopping experience. You can see the evidence of this switch everywhere, but one place where it’s presenting an opportunity is in Southern California. 

As the Los Angeles Times recently pointed out, some of the region’s abandoned (or nearly abandoned) malls could give way for much-needed housing units amid the statewide shortage of options. 

One report suggests that nearly 25 percent of the country’s malls will be gone by 2022 — a jarring figure that also exposes just how many malls there are. That’s also a lot of land, however, which is something that is in short supply near the nation’s largest urban and suburban centers. 

In Los Angeles County, there are already plans in the works for malls in the San Fernando Valley and in Redondo Beach to be replaced by mixed-use complexes. These would include condos, apartments, and small parks, plus in some cases offices, music venues, and smaller boutique shops. Huntington Beach and other Orange County cities have already made (or plan to make) similar moves. These projects add thousands of units all at once in an environment where few developments can do that.

With the cost of housing development staying high, inventory growth has stalled and builds can’t keep up with the enormous demand in the LA market (and elsewhere). California is looking to address part of the issue with Senate Bill 35, making it easier to build. Redeveloping “wasted” land like failing malls would be another step forward.