Logos Faith Development Eyes Affordable Housing in South LA

Logos Faith Development wants to build a 62-unit affordable housing complex on land owned by a church in South Los Angeles.

The Westchester-based developer of church properties led by the Rev. Martin Porter has filed plans to build the four-story complex at 706 West 85th Street, Urbanize Los Angeles reported.

The complex would rise on a site owned by St. Rest Friendship Church, led by the Rev. Torrey Collins, whose sanctuary lies a block south on Manchester Avenue.

Logos Faith will employ L.A. Mayor Karen Bass’ Executive Directive 1 to streamline project approval. The order, signed in late 2022 and revised in March, applies to shelters and affordable housing projects in Los Angeles.

Plans call for 62 one- and two-bedroom apartments above a ground-floor parking garage for an unspecified number of cars.

With the exception of a manager’s unit, the affordable apartments would be reserved for low- and moderate-income households.

The project is also eligible for density bonus incentives permitting certain waivers from local development standards, according to Urbanize.

The white complex, designed by Culver City-based JZA Architecture, would rise above a gray ground floor, with broad windows facing the street.

While Logos Faith will employ ED1 for faster project approval, the project is also eligible under state Senate Bill 4, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom last fall to facilitate housing on church and college land.

The site is located a short walk from a similar affordable housing complex now taking shape at 800 West 85th Street. That project, called Domus Ambrosia, will feature 90 apartments, according to Urbanize.

Logos Faith Development, founded by Porter in 2017, is a faith-based developer dedicated to repurposing under-utilized church land for housing in under-served areas, with more than 1,000 units in the development pipeline, according to its website.

— Dana Bartholomew