The Long Beach City Council voted on Tuesday to move forward with two affordable housing projects in affluent parts of the city, one that has already been approved and another that is in the early stages of planning and conception.
The first project, located a few blocks south of the Traffic Circle at the terminus of Fountain Street and Wehrle Court, includes 73 units that will accommodate families and people with developmental disabilities.
Though the project itself has already been approved, the City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to change the zoning of this 1.7-acre parcel to allow for greater housing density.
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The second project is in Cal Heights at 1131 E. Wardlow Road and is much earlier in the planning process. The city bought the property in January and voted unanimously Tuesday to declare it as “surplus” so that it can be sold and turned into affordable housing.
A handful of residents spoke out against the projects, but both votes passed easily — and with the support of the council representatives in District 3 and District 5, where the projects are located.
Prepared for pushback
Members of the city’s planning and health departments appeared to come prepared for pushback at Tuesday’s City Council meeting, particularly given that residents in these broader areas of Long Beach — Bixby Knolls, Cal Heights and East Long Beach — have historically fought hard to keep these neighborhoods suburbanized.
Christopher Koontz, the director of Community Development, spoke frankly about the city’s history of concentrating affordable housing in areas that are already disadvantaged, particularly in Downtown and Central Long Beach.
The city, he said, not only has a moral and ethical obligation to right this wrong but has a legal obligation to do so. Both state and federal laws require the city to build more affordable housing in “high resource” areas that have good schools, grocery stores, parks and more.
He and others also emphasized that the best way to prevent homelessness is to increase the supply of affordable housing and revitalize city corridors, remove blight and reduce the overcrowding of people living in the same home.
“Both of these projects are part of a larger strategy to address our housing needs,” Koontz said.
Fountain/Wehrle project
Plans for this project were already approved last June. The city was able to do this without proper zoning because it was, at the time, under a state of emergency over the homelessness crisis.
One resident who spoke Tuesday criticized the order of decisions, saying it looked like a “backdoor deal,” but officials noted that plans have been in the works for almost five years, with several hearings and notices sent to the neighborhood.
The primary concern of other residents was a lack of access in and out of the neighborhood. Bryant Elementary is roughly 100 yards away from the site, and the area is highly congested during school pickup and drop-off times, they said.
Councilmember Kristina Duggan, who represents the area, said she has visited the property numerous times and acknowledged the problem. She and city staff agreed to work with the school district on solutions.
Most of the speakers on Tuesday, however, were in favor of the project, including some who live nearby.
The project will be 100% affordable, with one- two- and three-bedroom units spread across two buildings — one three stories and the other four stories. The project will also include 67 parking spaces and an outdoor common space.
The developer, Linc Housing, hopes to begin construction in early 2025.
Cal Heights project
The second project at 1131 E. Wardlow Road could include up to 100 units of affordable housing, but the project still needs to go through the approval and design process.
The city bought the land in January and is in exclusive negotiations with West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation to develop the site.
The vote Tuesday to declare the land as surplus property means that at least 80% of the site must be used for affordable housing, and no less than 40% of the units in the property must be deemed affordable.
Councilmember Megan Kerr, who represents the area, assured residents that they will have a chance to give input before the project is approved. That review process is expected to begin this fall, with construction possible by spring 2026.