Two projects set to bring 111 affordable units to Sherman Oaks, South LA

Two months after newly elected Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a “Marshall Plan” for affordable housing, some Los Angeles developers appear to be heeding the governor’s ambitious call to action.

Two developers have proposed projects that would bring a combined 111 units for low-income residents in Sherman Oaks and South Los Angeles, according to city documents.

In Sherman Oaks, Mercy Housing, an affordable housing developer, is proposing building 55 units for senior housing. Out of the 55 units, 37 would be set aside for low-income residents, while another 17 are reserved for very low-income residents.

The four-story building would require demolishing three existing residential units on the site, located at 14534 West Burbank Boulevard.

Meanwhile, another affordable housing developer — Affirmed Housing — has filed plans for a new project in the Broadway-Manchester area, located east of Inglewood.

The San Diego-based company is requesting approvals to build a five-story structure that would include 56 units of permanent supportive housing. Located at 12003 South Main Street, the complex qualifies as Tier 4 of the Transit Oriented Communities program.

Last year, city officials passed a new rule benefiting developers who build permanent supportive housing, or housing for the homeless, as a way to encourage development. The law essentially stripped City Council members of their power to veto homeless housing projects in their neighborhoods.

Still, affordable housing continues to be a serious problem in the county. A new report from the California Housing Partnership reveals that landlords have converted more than 5,250 affordable rental units to market rate since 1997. That’s about a third of all affordable units statewide.