Challenges Faced by the Venice Dell Housing Project
Efforts to create housing for homeless individuals in Los Angeles encounter numerous obstacles, and one significant hindrance is the intervention of city officials. The Venice Dell project, approved twice by the City Council, exemplifies this struggle as it remains in a protracted pre-development phase since 2017.
Project Overview
The Venice Dell initiative aims to transform a 2.65-acre city parking lot in Venice, located just blocks from the beach, into a housing complex for low-income families and individuals experiencing homelessness. Following a competitive selection process, Venice Community Housing and Hollywood Community Housing Corps were chosen as the nonprofit developers to undertake this project, coinciding with the city’s push for affordable housing solutions amidst ongoing housing shortages.
Progress and Setbacks
Since its inception, the developers have complied with all necessary requirements, including:
- Conducting several public hearings
- Carrying out environmental assessments
- Designing and revising project plans to address city officials’ concerns and to accommodate a popular boat launch facility
After clearing these stages, the City Council contracted the project in 2021 and reaffirmed its support in 2022, awarding a development agreement.
Recent Developments
Despite these approvals, progress has been stalled. In early 2023, under the direction of the newly elected city attorney, Hydee Feldstein Soto, city departments were instructed to halt collaboration with the developers due to ongoing litigation, which had been resolved the previous year. This unusual directive affected the timeliness of the project’s Coastal Commission approval, leading to a delay of over a year and jeopardizing funding.
Legal Challenges and Resolutions
The Venice Dell project managed to overcome two lawsuits initiated by a local nonprofit opposed to its development and successfully obtained the required Coastal Commission permit in December. This was accomplished despite attempts by the city attorney to discourage advancement.
New Hurdles
Following these victories, additional roadblocks emerged, including a review by the Board of Transportation Commissioners. The city attorney insisted on this review, claiming it was necessary despite the earlier City Council approval. The Transportation Commissioners deemed the current site unsuitable and suggested relocating to a different, less ideal lot and transforming the Venice Dell site into a “mobility hub.”
Discrepancies in Legal Interpretations
Notably, the city and developers had previously defended the project against claims that it had not been submitted for Board approval. A judge ruled in favor of the city, confirming that authority over city property usage for housing remains with the City Council and not with transportation commissioners. This raises questions about the current stance of the city attorney on the site’s suitability.
The Political Landscape
Councilmember Traci Park, who succeeded the previous advocate for the project, Mike Bonin, has expressed opposition and even declared the project ineffective. She has initiated discussions to assess the feasibility of the alternative lot recommended by the Transportation Commission. This proposal has already moved through one City Council committee and is now set for deliberation by the Housing and Homelessness Committee.
The Path Forward
Councilmember Nithya Raman, chair of the Housing and Homelessness Committee, has voiced her concerns about advancing a motion that appears to undermine a previously approved affordable housing project. The Venice Dell initiative is a critical response to the shortage of permanent housing options for vulnerable populations in the Westside area.
Conclusion
While there are arguments for exploring the proposed alternative site, it is crucial to recognize that the Venice Dell project has already navigated the complexities of approval processes and secured funding necessary for its realization. As the city grapples with homelessness, failure to advance this project would be a disservice to the community’s urgent housing needs.
City leadership must demonstrate a commitment to building affordable housing and addressing homelessness through concrete actions, rather than allowing valuable initiatives like Venice Dell to be overshadowed by political maneuvering.
