Venice Dell Affordable Housing Project Clears Key Hurdle
A long-stalled project to construct affordable housing in Venice, California, moved one step closer to reality this month after the California Coastal Commission approved a crucial development permit. The Venice Dell Community project, which has faced prolonged legal challenges and community opposition, now awaits final approval from the City of Los Angeles.
Years in the Making
The project, first conceived in 2017, is envisioned as a mixed-use complex containing 117 residential units. Developed by Venice Community Housing and Hollywood Community Housing, the plan designates 68 units as supportive housing for homeless individuals and the remaining units as low-income housing.
Initially designed by renowned architect Eric Owen Moss, the Venice Dell project underwent a redesign by Brooks+Scarpa in response to community feedback and regulatory requirements.
The revised plan eliminated commercial spaces, adjusted parking configurations, and reduced the overall number of units.
Controversy and Legal Battles
Despite receiving approval from the Los Angeles City Council in both 2021 and 2022, the project has consistently encountered stiff opposition, prompting a series of lawsuits and numerous delays. Critics have raised concerns about the project’s potential impact on parking availability, neighborhood character, and the environment, particularly the vulnerability of the site to flooding. Some have also questioned the city’s oversight of the development.
Earlier this year, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge dismissed a legal effort to halt the project, brought by The Coalition for Safe Coastal Development. The organization labeled the project “recklessly rushed through the City approval process by a Councilman subsequently pushed out of office.”
Parking Concerns and Alternative Proposals
Most recently, the LA Department of Transportation (LADOT), expressed concerns about the project’s design, arguing it would reduce beach accessibility, impact parking revenues, and inconvenience the community. General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo, in a letter to the Board of Transportation Commissioners, proposed alternatives such as preserving the existing parking lot or relocating the housing project to Lot No. 701 at 2150 Dell Ave.
Looking Ahead
With the Coastal Commission’s approval, the Venice Dell project is poised to overcome one of its last major hurdles. The project now returns to the City of Los Angeles for final review and a potential final vote.
If approved, the project holds the potential to address the city’s dire need for affordable housing while revitalizing a neglected city-owned space. Public debate regarding the project, however, is likely to continue as it enters its final stages.
