TWO AFFORDABLE HOUSING GROUNDBREAKINGS IN SOUTH LA WILL TRANSFORM VACANT LAND FOR FAMILIES AND RESILIENT YOUTH
119 new affordable homes stabilize families and offer permanent supportive housing to Transition-Age Youth
LOS ANGELES, CA—Nonprofit affordable housing developer Abode Communities began construction of Central Avenue Apartments and The Carlton, transforming two properties in South L.A. into permanent affordable housing for families and supportive housing for Transition Age Youth (TAY), respectively.
In total, the residential communities will bring 119 new rental homes. The Carlton is located at 5407 S. Western Avenue and Central Avenue Apartments is located at 8911 S. Central Avenue. The Carlton is expected to complete construction in January 2026 and Central in summer 2026.
“It’s our goal to prevent families from falling into homelessness and ensure that young people exiting foster care have a high quality place to call home and the supportive services needed to navigate a complex public system,” said Holly Benson, President & CEO of Abode Communities. “I am so proud to bring these investments to South L.A., and provide a much-needed place for families and TAY to find their independence and achieve their personal goals.”
The 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count showed that both the City and County of Los Angeles saw an overall decrease in people experiencing homelessness. Homelessness in Los Angeles County decreased by 0.27% to an estimated 75,312 people. Homelessness in the City of Los Angeles was down 2.2% to an estimated 45,252 people. Permanent housing is up 18% at an all-time high. 28,000 housing placements were made this year, bringing the total over the last seven years to more than 110,000.
“We earned this decrease in homelessness through collaborative efforts and leadership of our Mayor. Our continued teamwork in South LA exemplifies the City’s dedication to providing affordable permanent supportive housing for our families and youth,” said Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson.
Both developments will feature amenity-rich communities with courtyards, playgrounds, a community room, bicycle parking, onsite property management, and space for supportive and resident services. Abode Communities offers its signature Beyond Homes program to all residents with the goal to build skills, provide access to resources, and promote multi-generational housing stability. Abode Communities will partner with St. Joseph Center to meet the unique supportive service needs of TAY residents.
The 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count saw a 16% decrease of unhoused transition age youth, totaling 3,050 young people experiencing homelessness. Among young people, exits from the foster system are leading causes of homelessness. TAY are one of the fastest growing populations of homelessness nationwide, often linked to justice-system-involvement or trauma. In a UCSF study on homelessness, 32% of unhoused Transition-Age Youth reported experiencing a mental health-related hospitalization.
“Increasing the availability of affordable housing in South LA is crucial to preventing homelessness,” said LA City Councilmember Curren Price. “To stem the tide of individuals entering homelessness faster than we can house them, prevention must be at the heart of our strategy. Our comprehensive approach must focus on keeping existing housing affordable and creating more affordable options. This is essential to effectively address and prevent homelessness across the region.”
The 2024 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count saw a 7% increase in people experiencing homelessness in the South LA Service Provision Area (SPA 6) — the second highest among the eight SPAs below only Skid Row. The count estimated that on any given night there are 13,886 people experiencing homelessness in SPA 6.
“It’s good to see that a higher proportion of people experiencing homelessness are inside and sheltered where it’s safer and smoother to transition to permanent housing, but that means that the work of affordable housing builders is more important than ever,” said Holly Benson, President & CEO of Abode Communities. “By keeping our focus on creating affordable homes, we can make sure that people in shelters get to come home permanently.”
Both developments are financed utilizing a combination of permanent financing, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, funding from California Dept. of Housing & Community Development’s (HCD) Multifamily Family Program, funding from Affordable Housing Managed Pipeline from the Los Angeles Housing Department, and $32.9 million in project-based rental subsidies from Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. Central also benefited from a $4.5 million grant from HCD’s Infill Infrastructure Grant Program.
Rendering for Central Avenue Apartments designed by KFA Architecture, located at 8911 S. Central Avenue
Rendering for The Carlton Apartments designed by Abode Communities, located at 5407 S. Western Avenue
