Valley’s First Supportive Housing Project Faces Opposition

A supportive housing project using funds from the Proposition HHH homeless housing bond that would be the first built in the San Fernando Valley faces opposition from locals, including a municipal representative. Developer Affirmed Housing Group Inc. has proposed a 63-unit development known as The Topanga Apartments at 10243 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Chatsworth. It would be built on the site of a former auto repair shop. Los Angeles’ Housing and Community Investment Department recently approved $8.29 million in funding from Proposition HHH for the project. Before moving forward, the Topanga Apartments project needs approvals, including a final decision from the Los Angeles City Council. However, CoStar Group is reporting that freshly elected Los Angeles City Councilman John Lee, who now represents former councilmember Mitch Englander’s District 12, has reservations about certifying the Topanga Apartments. “From conversations with constituents, it is clear that the Topanga project as presently proposed is physically out of scale with the surrounding neighborhood and was pushed forward without adequate outreach to the businesses and families that will be most affected,” Lee wrote in an email. “I oppose the Topanga project as presently proposed and insist that developers work with communities before pursuing such efforts.”