Downtown Women's Center expansion moves forward at 501 E. 5th Street

After three years of quiet, plans for new affordable housing next to the headquarters of the Downtown Women's Center are once again moving forward.

On December 11, the Los Angeles City Council simultaneously approved the sale of a city-owned property at 501 E. 5th Street for to an entity controlled by the Downtown Women's Center, as well as bond financing for the project. The proposed development, known as Rosa's Place, calls for the construction of a seven-story building containing 97 units of permanent supportive housing and one market rate manager's apartment.

Aerial view of 501 E 5th Street northKFA Architecture

According to a city staff report, the property will feature studio units - averaging 296 square feet in size - reserved for residents earning between 30 and 50 percent of the area median income level. The apartments are to serve women experiencing homelessness and survivors of domestic violence. They will be accompanied by community rooms, a mother's wellness area, a donation center, a courtyard, a learning center, and offices for on-site supportive services and property management.

The estimated cost of the project is $83.5 million - or just over $852,000 per unit - with nearly half to be covered by city-authorized bonds. The high cost of the project is attributed to factors including interest rates, costly entitlements, and difficulty staging for construction due to tight confines of the surrounding Skid Row area. However, the cost of building a 54-stall underground parking garage - adding more than $11 million to the budget, or $113,000 per unit - is the priciest item noted.

Daylight Community Development and GTM Holdings are co-developers of the project, while KFA Architecture is designing the building.

501 E. 5th StreetGoogle Maps

The project is the latest product of a partnership between the Downtown Women's Center and Daylight Community Development, following smaller projects in Van Nuys and North Hollywood.

The site also sits one block to the north of the intersection of 6th and San Pedro Streets, where two larger supportive housing developments have been built on sites adjoining the Weingart Center.

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