INGLEWOOD — The city and Thomas Safran & Associates celebrated the opening of Beach Terrace, a 42-unit affordable housing complex last month.
The housing complex designed for veterans, senior citizens and families features a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units.
“The city of Inglewood is pleased to work once again with Thomas Safran & Associates to help steadily improve affordable housing availability in the city,” Inglewood Mayor James Butts said in a news release. “When developers, cities, and lenders come together like this, it’s a win-win for everyone, especially veterans and families that are an integral part of our community.”
Safran has been a consistent campaign donor over the years to Mayor Butts and was also granted control of multiple vacant parcels along Market Street in downtown Inglewood to build affordable housing that the developer has yet to break ground on.
On July 26, 2016, the Inglewood Successor Agency sold multiple parcels in downtown Inglewood to Safran who pledged to develop 235 housing units, of which 47 may be classified as affordable, 95,000 square feet of retail, parking, and streetscape improvements.
The project was due to break ground in the first quarter of 2017 and was scheduled to be completed by first quarter of 2019. The remaining properties would be developed by end of 2019.
As of today, the properties remain untouched.
The parcels are all located along the path of the proposed Inglewood Transit Connector that the city has yet to fully fund.
Safran’s projects on Market Street could be in limbo due to the pending proposed construction of the Inglewood Transit Connector, which is slated to begin construction next year.
Safran is also building high-end, market-rate units directly across from the K Line at the intersection of Florence and LaBrea avenues.
Safran developed the 242-unit Astra apartments, which features market-rate units ranging in price from $2,450 to $5,245 per month and is currently building the LaBrea Lofts, at 201 N. La Brea Ave., which will consist of a six-story edifice featuring 144 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments above ground-floor commercial space.
Inglewood Assemblywoman Tina McKinnor has made affordable housing a priority in her district as her first piece of legislation was to address the shortage of affordable housing across the state.
Assembly Bill 1743 was part of a 38-bill housing package signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom designed to increase housing production, expand housing financing and help millions of Californians access safe, affordable housing.
“We can solve California’s housing crisis through partnerships between government, developers, nonprofit and faith-based organizations,” McKinnor said. “By harnessing the innovative will of Californians, necessary public and private investments and a legislature and governor truly committed to solving the housing crisis, I am confident that we can help all Californians find a safe and affordable place to call home. AB 1743 will give the public and policy makers an important metric necessary to guide our efforts to expand housing opportunities to all Californians in the future.”
Emilie St. John is a contributing writer for South Bay Examiner and the Los Angeles Wave newspaper