Wilmington Neighborhood Council To Discuss Opposing Supportive Housing Projects

The Wilmington Neighborhood Council will review a pair of motions Tuesday night to oppose several supportive housing projects, according to its Tuesday meeting agenda. Items slated for discussion and possible action include a motion to file a community impact statement (and send a letter to elected officials) opposing Measure HHH-funded projects at 1355 Avalon Blvd., 828 Anaheim St., and 728 Lagoon Ave.

The plans are part of an innovation challenge stemming from Measure HHH, 2016 citywide ballot measure that Los Angeles voters passed to issue $1.2 billion in general obligation bonds to subsidize housing projects for homeless people and people at risk of homelessness. In 2019, the city earmarked $120 million of the measure’s funds for supportive housing projects using innovative or other cost-saving construction methods.

Of the four supportive housing projects the Wilmington Neighborhood Council may oppose Tuesday night, 1355 Avalon Blvd. is the largest. Plans by supportive housing developer Brilliant Corners call for 53 supportive housing units for homeless and chronically homeless people at the site, which currently holds a vacant grocery store. In November, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to commit $7 million from Measure HHH funds toward the $29 million project.

The Wilmington Neighborhood Council has a history of opposition to supportive housing. In 2019 votes on similar motions related to a homeless senior housing project at 1424 Deepwater Ave. and a temporary supportive housing project at 828 Eubank Ave., its board unanimously voted in favor of opposing the two projects. The latter began construction last year, while the former, a 56-unit project, is still in the predevelopment stage with an anticipated construction start date in July, according to a report by the Los Angeles Office of the Controller.

Proposed by supportive housing developer FlyawayHomes, the other two HHH projects on the Tuesday agenda, 828 Anaheim St. and 728 Lagoon Ave., involve 49 and 34 two-bedroom units, respectively. In a separate action item, the Wilmington council will also vote on a motion opposing a 15-unit supportive housing project at 928 Marine Ave.