Plans submitted earlier this year to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development reveal a 20-year proposal to revamp and expand the Rancho San Pedro housing complex.

Rancho San Pedro, which sits on 21 acres of land near the Port of Los Angeles, was built by the Federal government in the 1940s to house workers at the nearby Long Beach Naval Shipyard.  Roughly one decade later, it was transitioned to public housing owned by the City of Los Angeles, which expanded the property to the 478-unit complex that exists today.

The One San Pedro collaborative - consisting of The Richman Group, National CORE, and Century Housing - was selected by the City of Los Angeles in 2018 to redevelop the property, beating out three other teams.  Their proposal calls for one-for-one replacement of the existing homes at Rancho San Pedro, while also enabling the construction of mixed-income rental units and for-sale homes.  Additionally, a full buildout of the proposed plan would generate between 1,264 and 1,390 new homes, in addition to five acres of open space, 90,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and amenities, and new transportation facilities.  The proposed housing mix would include:

  • 422 and 477 affordable housing units;
  • 300 and 358 market rate units; and
  • 64 and 77 affordable and market-rate for-sale homes.

SVA Architects and City Fabrick are providing design services for the project, which would consist of buildings ranging from one to eight stories in height.  Plans call for a mix of one-to-five-bedroom dwellings in an array of flats and townhome-style units.

At ground level, a network of new parks and pedestrian paseos would tie the 21-acre site together.  A site plan shows that 2nd Street would terminate into a new pedestrian plaza between Palos Verdes Street and Harbor Boulevard, while a linear park would run along the west side of Palos Verdes.  A sports facility and community center is also proposed at the intersection of 1st and Centre Streets.

Ground-level open spaces would be flanked by community serving stores and amenities.  Potential uses include a grocery store, a pharmacy, a bank, a laundromat, counseling services, a fitness center, and a health clinic.

Streetscape improvements and transportation amenities are also planned throughout the Rancho San Pedro site, including bus-only lanes and protected bike lanes.

One San Pedro is currently in its entitlement phases, which is expected to continue through 2022.  Construction is anticipated to occur in 11 phases between 2023 and 2039.  The phasing schedule would be designed to permit most residents of Rancho San Pedro to relocate elsewhere within the complex, rather than being temporarily displaced to an off-site location.

Plans to revamp Rancho San Pedro emerge as private developers have invested in ground-up projects on several nearby sites.  Notably, Holland Partner Group is now wrapping up construction at its 550 Harborfront apartments, and recently announced plans for a similar development on an adjacent property.  Construction also began in January for a $33-million promenade on the waterfront, which will accompany the pending redevelopment of the Ports O' Call Village.

The City of Los Angeles, which has owned Rancho San Pedro for nearly 70 years, has partnered with developers to expand several of its public housing facilities, including Dana Strand in Wilmington and Jordan Downs in Watts.