LA's Affordable Housing Push Hits Roadblock in the San Fernando Valley

Mayor Karen Bass has collided with major resistance from homeowners and drawn legal challenges from developers over plans to build nearly 2,400 affordable apartments in the San Fernando Valley to address L.A.’s housing shortage.

Initially proposed under the mayor’s Executive Directive 1 initiative to expedite housing construction, the projects aimed to provide low- and moderate-income housing without public subsidies, according to the Los Angeles Times.

But 18 months later, most of these plans have been abandoned, and only four developments, amounting to one-third of the original units, are moving forward after intense political and legal battles.

The core issue lies in the proposed locations of these projects — land traditionally zoned for single-family homes — as well as an apparent reversal by the mayor over whether such parcels would be eligible for the affordable multifamily plans.

This has ignited strong opposition from homeowners concerned about increased traffic, parking issues and changes to neighborhood character.

Critics argue that developers exploited a loophole in the mayor’s initiative, known as ED-1, which initially streamlined the approval process for affordable housing. The directive, signed by Bass shortly after taking office in December 2022, aimed to expedite the construction of fully affordable housing developments.

However, the directive didn’t explicitly address the eligibility of single-family-home parcels, leading developers to combine it with state laws to propose projects in these areas. This ambiguity led to ten projects being submitted, including a 611-unit complex in Woodland Hills.

The ensuing backlash from homeowner groups prompted Bass to revise the directive in June 2023, excluding single-family-home zoned properties, which jeopardized existing proposals. Bass’ office didn’t respond to a list of questions from The Times. In prior comments, the mayor has said she supports affordable housing across the city and that her executive order has cleared the way for tens of thousands of homes.

City Council members have voiced differing opinions.

Councilman Bob Blumenfield criticized the developers targeting single-family zoning for “opportunism,” stating that the projects’ impact was “disproportionate.” Conversely, Councilwoman Nithya Raman, who chairs the city’s housing and homelessness committee, argued for the need to “say yes to housing” to address the city’s housing crisis.

Legal battles ensued after the city council rejected several projects.

YIMBY Law, a nonprofit that advocates for housing development, sued the city, arguing that decisions should adhere to the rules in place when projects are submitted.

Three judges ruled in favor of the developers, and a settlement last month was reached in one case in Sherman Oaks, with developer Bedrock Property Group agreeing to reduce the building’s height.

Despite the obstacles, four projects have been cleared for construction. These projects, while not in the middle of subdivisions, are still seen as potentially out of scale by some residents. The developments aim to provide housing for singles and families with moderate incomes, with rent caps tied to household size and annual earnings.

In Sun Valley, developer and architect Jeff Zbikowski wants to build 78 apartments with studio, one- and two-bedroom units in a three-story complex, according to the Times. He said his project is sensitive to the community, offering more parking than required.

— Dana Bartholomew