New affordable housing unit causes commotion on Larchmont
A new building is coming to Larchmont Boulevard, and it’s causing a major stir. A building permit for 531 N. Larchmont Blvd. was issued in February for a six-story, 64-unit building. The one-story office bungalow that previously stood at the site was demolished June 2. Building owner Fariborz Mike Bardi, a dentist from Glendale, plans to open a dental office on the ground floor. All units qualify as affordable housing.
531 N. LARCHMONT BLVD., where plans for a six-story housing project have been approved.
This came as a huge shock to various neighborhood groups. In 2023, working with Bardi and his team to create a building in harmony with the neighborhood, the Greater Wilshire Neighborhood Council voted in support of a four-story building with 15 units, two of which would be affordable housing. Everything seemed fine until the new permit was issued in February, with specifications far from what had been agreed upon.
The new permit falls under the purview of Executive Directive 1, which was issued by Mayor Bass in 2022. ED1 allows expedition for “qualifying 100% affordable housing projects.” This includes allowing projects to skip public hearings and environmental reviews.
Units proposed for this building range from 231-square-foot studio units to 445-square-foot one-bedrooms. The permit includes no parking for any units. According to Los Angeles’ Affordable Housing Rental Schedules, the smaller, studio units could rent for up to $1,050 monthly and the larger, one-bedroom units for up to $2,202 monthly.
Larchmont United Neighborhood Association has been leading the charge against the building, with members calling it “destabilizing because it doesn’t bring long-term residents to the neighborhood.” At a recent Larchmont Village Neighborhood Association, LVNA board members vehemently opposed the project, decrying ED1 for providing “no means to mitigate this.”
An anonymous complaint was filed with the Department of Building and Safety June 8. The office described the complaint as a “border dispute,” wherein the construction encroached upon a neighboring property. LUNA stated that, during demolition, dust and debris fell onto the neighboring buildings. The complaint is under active investigation.
Category: News
