Relevant Group, a Los Angeles-based firm, has modified its plans for an affordable housing complex located in Westlake, west of the 110 freeway. According to a report from Urbanize Los Angeles, the firm has filed a new application to construct a five-story building at 1316 Linwood Avenue intended for lower-income residents.
The updated proposal, developed in partnership with affordable developer Holos Communities, calls for 106 affordable housing units featuring studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans. This represents a reduction from the firm’s previous plans, which sought to build an eight-story structure containing 150 units of permanent supportive housing.
The previous proposal targeted low- and very-low-income levels, specifically catering to individuals with annual incomes between $53,000 and $84,850, or households of four with incomes between $75,750 and $121,150.
The project is part of a broader trend of affordable housing development within the Westlake neighborhood. Other recent proposals in the area include:
- Alvarado Center LLC: An application for a seven-story building at 212 West Eighth Street and 751-757 South Alvarado Street, featuring 114 one-bedroom apartments, nearly all of which would be designated as affordable.
- Southern California Affordable Housing: A proposal for an eight-story building at 2400 West Seventh Street consisting of 148 studio and one-bedroom units, which would be entirely affordable except for a manager’s unit.
This surge in development is supported by Executive Directive 1, enacted by Mayor Karen Bass in late 2022. According to the mayor’s office, this directive allows applications for projects that are 100 percent affordable to bypass city council votes and lengthy public hearings. This shift has the potential to reduce approval timelines from nine months to a few weeks in most instances.
Los Angeles currently maintains a strong position in the national affordable housing market. Between 2020 and 2024, the city ranked seventh nationwide in the production of income-restricted residences. During that period, over 9,400 affordable apartment units were completed, representing more than 20 percent of all multifamily construction in the metro area. RentCafe reports that the city has one of the highest proportions of affordable units relative to new construction in the United States.
Given the current regulatory environment, the modified Linwood Avenue project and other similar proposals in Westlake may see accelerated approval timelines. If these projects proceed, they could further increase the density of income-restricted housing in the urban core.
