Funding Approved For Two Supportive Housing Projects In Boyle Heights, Los Angeles

Two new supportive housing project will soon be under construction at 851 North Banning Boulevard and 3552 Whittier Boulevard in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles. The project proposal includes the development of more than 120 apartments. The City Council approved $45M for the projects.

Century Housing Corp is the project developer.

Named The Wilmington, the project will be composed of two buildings; a two-story containing 19 units and a three-story with 45 units. All of the apartments will offer a mix of one-bedroom and two-bedroom layouts, with average sizes of 635 and 941 square feet. With the exception of a single manager’s unit, all of the apartments are to be rented to households earning no more than 50 percent of the area’s median income level.

841 Banning Boulevard via Google Maps

The Council vote approved $22 million in funding for the Banning Avenue development – including $21.2 million in tax-exempt bonds and nearly $800,000 in taxable bonds. That will contribute toward a total estimate cost of $43.4 million, with the balance covered by Measure HHH and Los Angeles County funds. The relatively high per-unit cost of the project, approximately $679,000, is attributed to three plugged oil wells which exist on the site. In order to avoid building atop the wells, the project was divided into two buildings, resulting in more than $6.4 million in additional costs.

The second project, located at 3552 Whittier Boulevard in Boyle Heights. Plans call for razing two existing commercial buildings, clearing the way for a new structure featuring 63 studio apartments averaging 305 square feet in size. The complex will also offer one manager’s unit. The housing complex will consist of four levels of prefabricated modular units stacked atop a concrete base.

Abode Communities, Mercy Housing of California, and LA Family Housing are the project developers. Abode Communities is also designing the building. Suffolk is the general contractor.

The Council vote approved approximately $18.6 million of funding, including $16.3 million in tax-exempt bonds and $2.3 million in taxable bonds. The total cost of the project, estimated at $35.4 million, translates to a per-unit price tag of roughly $553,000.

Completion of the Whittier Boulevard apartments is expected by August 2023.

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