Density Bonus Unlocks 232-Unit Affordable Housing Development Near CSUN at 17829 West Halsted Street

The Los Angeles City Planning Commission has approved a new affordable housing development at 17829 West Halsted Street in Northridge, clearing the way for a five-story residential project near the Cal State University, Northridge campus. The decision finalizes entitlements for a 100 percent affordable housing complex, advancing a proposal that relies on state density bonus provisions to significantly increase residential capacity on the site.

Approved plans call for the construction of a five-story building containing 232 apartment units, including 184 units reserved for Low Income households, 47 units for Moderate Income households, and one unrestricted manager’s unit. The project will provide housing in a mix of studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom layouts. Parking will be accommodated within a single subterranean level with 63 vehicle stalls, a substantial reduction from standard code requirements made possible through density bonus incentives.

The development was granted multiple off-menu incentives and waivers under the Los Angeles Municipal Code, including reductions to required front and side yard setbacks, a 50 percent reduction in required open space, and significant relief from base zoning limits on residential floor area. Collectively, these approvals allow the project to deliver 143,010 square feet of residential floor area on a site where zoning would otherwise permit a far smaller building envelope.

Designed by JZA Architecture, the building is organized around a podium configuration with ground-level activation and residential floors above. Project plans emphasize interior courtyard and roof-level open space, while the ground floor incorporates transparent elements intended to maintain visual connection between interior common areas and the public realm along Halsted Street.

Once constructed, the project will add a substantial supply of income-restricted housing near a major university campus, contributing to ongoing efforts to expand affordable housing availability in Northridge and the northwest San Fernando Valley.

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