The Los Angeles City Planning Commission has signed off on a proposal from West Hollywood Community Housing Corp. to construct a new affordable development in Pico-Union, rejecting the appeal of a neighboring property owner.
The Mariposa Lily development, slated for a vacant city-owned lot at 1047-1055 S. Mariposa Avenue, calls for the construction of a seven-story building featuring 41 apartments restricted to low- and very low-income households. The proposed development would also include an eight-car parking garage, a recreation room, and a rooftop deck.
HED is designing the project, which would incorporate Art Deco elements into its facade. Exterior finishes would include painted plaster and aluminum panels.
Appellant Martha Mendez-MacHoll, the owner an adjacent property, argued that Mariposa Lily project is out of scale with its surroundings and should not be granted a Class-32 exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act. Additionally, Mendez-MacHoll claimed that she could have developed a larger project with more affordable units had she been able to respond to the city's request for proposals for the property.
A staff report countered the latter argument by noting that the applicant's representative had received four e-mails announcing the request for qualifications for the 1055 Mariposa site. Staff also noted that in arguing that she could have developed a larger project with more affordable units, Mendez-MacHoll contradicted her assertion that the Mariposa Lily development is out of scale with its surroundings.
After discussion, Commissioners voted to reject the appeal.
According to the West Hollywood Community Housing website, Mariposa Lily will provide a mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, of which half will serve formerly homeless persons. Construction is expected to commence in mid-2020.
The project site sits across the street from The Mariposa, a LOHA-designed apartment complex.
Interested in finding affordable housing? Visit housing.lacity.org.
