Two projects proposing to construct approximately 122 new 100% affordable housing units were filed with the LA City Planning Department in the waning days of 2023. The projects may fall under the Mayor’s Executive Directive 1 (ED 1), passed in February of last year, designed to expedite the processing of construction permits for shelters and 100% affordable housing projects in Los Angeles.
Eligible projects receive expedited processing, clearances, and approvals through the ED1 Ministerial Approval Process. There are some exceptions, but most do not seem to apply to these two projects according to the local experts we spoke with. Once filed, the Planning Department must review the projects for eligibility within 60 days and notify the applicant of any issues within the first 30 days.
Here’s what’s being proposed:
800 South Lorraine Blvd, located in the Windsor Village Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, is proposed as a six-story, 65-foot, 100% affordable housing apartment building development, with a total of 70 dwelling units, including 24 studio units, and 46 one-bedroom units. There will be 55 Low-Income units, 14 Moderate Income units, and one Manager’s Unit. The applicant proposes the construction of a new 29,785 square-foot (6.7 FAR), on a 7,856 square-foot lot, according to plans filed on December 22, 2023.
507 N. Larchmont Blvd, is proposed as a new 7-story, mixed-use building, containing a 100% affordable housing project, consisting of 52 units (inclusive of 1 market rate manager’s unit) as well as 845 SF of ground floor Commercial Retail use, according to the application filed on December 14, 2023. The approximate size of the studio units is under 400 square feet. The developer is requesting a reduction in the size of the setbacks in the back and on the side with no setback in the front bringing the edge of the building to the sidewalk.
Neighborhood leaders and residents nearby by these projects who are just finding out about them told the Buzz they are concerned for numerous reasons — neither project has any parking; the units are too small for families, and both projects are requesting reduced setbacks with no green space for trees. And, finally, if built, the projects, at six and seven stories respectively would tower over the adjacent buildings on Larchmont and nearby single-family homes.
In an email sent to Larchmont Village neighbors earlier today urging opposition to the project at 507 N. Larchmont, resident Sam Uretsky wrote, “We all support the long-standing need for affordable housing in Los Angeles, which the City shamefully ignored for decades. There is ample and available space throughout Los Angeles to build our much-needed affordable housing that does not require the destruction of the integrity of our single and multi-family Larchmont neighborhood.”
Uretsky continued, “as many of you know, the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council Land Use Committee’s Working Group has been working to shape a vision for Upper Larchmont that promotes the unique live / work / shop character of Larchmont while providing neighborhood-compatible opportunities for affordable housing, not the cynical one or two units associated with current City-approved projects underway or the imposition of a SEVEN STORY monstrosity in our midst.” He urged residents to stay informed adding, “the future of Larchmont really is at stake.”
Residents in the Windsor Village HPOZ are particularly frustrated that a project of the scale of 800 S. Lorraine could be approved with no discretionary review by the HPOZ board.
By design, there is no public comment permitted and the approval clock is ticking for these projects. However, according to the Planning Department, no approvals have been issued.
“The Department is currently in the process of issuing Letters of Correction/Hold Letters for both projects, as they are missing information necessary for continued processing. Once the cases are deemed complete, the Planning Department has 60 days to Issue a Letter of Consistency,” a spokesperson for the department wrote to the Buzz.
“The projects located at 507 N. Larchmont and 800 South Lorraine were filed under the Mayor’s Executive Directive 1 (ED 1), which expedites the processing of 100% affordable housing projects in Los Angeles. Eligible projects receive expedited ministerial processing, clearances, and approvals. All ED1 cases filed with the Planning Department must receive a Letter of Consistency after being deemed complete,” according to the department adding that “ED1 projects are ministerial projects, and not subject to CEQA.”
Local architects and developers told the Buzz they were curious how these projects would make money or recover the investment cost since most affordable housing projects are subsidized with market-rate housing. We’ve reached out to the developers for more information. Stay tuned.
