Councilmember O’Farrell Announces Robust Affordable Housing Progress in 13th District with New Online Data Tool
A longtime advocate for affordable housing, O’Farrell has prioritized the creation of low-income affordable housing since first taking office in 2013
LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles City Council President Pro Tempore Mitch O’Farrell today announced robust progress on affordable housing in the 13th Council District, which he has represented since 2013, with the establishment of a new, publicly accessible database available on his official website.
According to publicly available City data, since O’Farrell took office more than 4,000 units of affordable housing have been built, approved, financed or are under construction in the 13th District – roughly 29% of the approximately 15,000 total new housing units in that timeframe.
“Providing quality, covenanted affordable housing in the 13th District has always been my priority, and I’m proud that our work continues to provide housing solutions for everyday Angelenos,” said Councilmember O’Farrell. “All across the district, we’ve created housing opportunities for people who need it. We need this kind of laser-focused investment in affordable housing across the entire city.”
“Affordable housing,” for the purposes of this database, is defined as any housing unit with a recorded covenant that restricts rent to a specific percentage of the area median income. The affordable housing units in O’Farrell’s district are located in a variety of projects, including mixed-income housing (which includes both market-rate and affordable units) as well as several 100% affordable housing projects.
Examples of 100% affordable communities in O’Farrell’s district include completed projects such as Hope on Alvarado in Westlake and PATH Metro Villas in Rampart Village, as well as projects currently under construction including the Hollywood Arts Collective and the adaptive reuse of the historic Hollywood Western Building. O’Farrell has also prioritized the creation of affordable housing in close proximity to public transit, including the forthcoming Vermont Santa Monica Apartments, currently under construction adjacent to a Metro B Line station in East Hollywood.
“The successful production and approval of so many affordable units across the 13th District is impressive and we are grateful to collaborate with the 13th District team on several current affordable housing projects,” said Jordan Pynes, President of TSA Housing. “Councilmember O’Farrell and his team have taken a hands-on approach to prioritize affordable housing.”
While affordable housing progress has been made across O’Farrell’s district, the heart of Hollywood stands out as a particular bright spot. According to data from The Hollywood Partnership, as of early 2022 more than 44% of all residential units currently under construction in the Hollywood entertainment district are covenanted affordable housing units.
“Prioritizing, approving, and ultimately building affordable housing takes hard work, persistence, and experienced leadership,” said O’Farrell. “But the goal is always the same: to provide equitable opportunities for people in need. Everyone deserves to have a safe, comfortable place to call home – and in the 13th District, I’m proud of our progress in making that a reality for everyone.”
