Bass fast-track housing plan lands biggest project yet with 3,200 senior units
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is betting big on her affordable housing agenda with a housing project that City Hall says is the biggest development yet approved under her fast-track building initiative.The proposed Viva L.A.at Warner Center in Woodland Hills would add nearly 3,200 affordable assisted living units for seniors, making it the largest project to clear Bass’ streamlined approval process.At roughly 2 million square feet, the development would transform part of Warner Center into a high-density senior housing campus, a concept city leaders say is needed as Los Angeles grapples with a shortage of affordable housing and a rapidly aging population.Bass joined Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who represents the area, and developers Tuesday to celebrate the milestone, touting the project as proof her effort to slash bureaucracy is producing results.“From day one, I’ve focused on cutting red tape and creating faster, more predictable approvals so we can start solving our affordability crisis,” Bass said.
“Viva L.A.at Warner Center will provide nearly 3,200 units of affordable senior housing, our largest Executive Directive 1 project to date.”The mayor’s office says nearly 47,000 affordable housing units are now in the pipeline under Executive Directive 1, which allows qualifying 100% affordable housing developments to move through the city’s approval process more quickly. Blumenfield credited the project to a combination of Bass’ executive order and the Warner Center 2035 Specific Plan, which he helped shepherd more than a decade ago.“Viva L.A.
at Warner Center will become a transformative investment in the West San Fernando Valley,” Blumenfield said.“This project expands affordable housing options for our aging population while making meaningful progress in addressing our housing crisis.”Developers say the project is designed to challenge the traditional model of assisted living.George Kutnerian, co-founder and CEO of Wellpointe Inc.,...