San Dimas to Get Townhome Community Near Metro Stop

A long-vacant patch of land in San Dimas is posed for a major housing project.

MW Investment Group has filed plans to build a 164-unit residential community just east of the city’s new Metro A Line station, Urbanize Los Angeles reported.

The proposal for Bonita Avenue Townhomes calls for 164 three-story condominiums on a nine-acre site at 444 East Bonita Avenue. Of the 164 residences, 17 of the for-sale units would be set aside for moderate-income households, defined in Los Angeles County as a maximum annual income of $89,550 for one person.

The project’s proximity to Metro’s new Foothill extension, which opened in September, is the latest addition to the region’s growing housing near transit trend. It’s unclear if MW Investment Group plans to take advantage of Transit Oriented Communities incentives offered by state and municipal governments.

At the same time, suburban cities across the San Gabriel Valley and the rest of Greater Los Angeles are figuring out how to meet state housing goals while managing pushback from locals. MW Investment Group has pursued similar infill plays elsewhere in the county, including a townhome project in Whittier. That project, slated to rise on a 0.8-acre site at 12826 Philadelphia Street, will consist of 24 two-, three- and four-bedroom townhomes as well as 59 parking spaces. Whittier officials signed off on the project early this year.

Last year, San Dimas considered proposed zoning rule changes around its Metro stop that would enable the construction of up to 3,687 new homes in the city, Urbanize Los Angeles reported. San Dimas’ housing element calls for 1,248 new housing units by 2029.

MW’s effort in San Dimas comes as investor interest in multifamily projects dries up despite increasing rents and demand. The City of Los Angeles in particular has been hit hard thanks in large part to Measure ULA, the tax on property sales higher than $5 million, as well as rising construction materials and labor costs.

— Chris Malone Méndez