PICO-UNION : Council Seeks to Scrap Lottery for Housing
- Share via
The Los Angeles City Council on Friday derailed a plan by the Community Redevelopment Agency to open up a housing development in the Pico-Union district to residents citywide after Councilman Mike Hernandez argued that those in the congested neighborhood ought to get first priority.
When the 32-unit Crescent Court Town Home project was proposed a decade ago, neighboring residents were told they would be at the top of the list to apply for the new units. But since then, the city adopted a policy that calls for a citywide lottery for such public housing developments to ensure diverse ethnic representation.
Hernandez argued that the city was backing out of a promise it made years ago to residents, mostly Latino. He said the population density in Pico-Union is 147 people per acre, 10 times the city average. The council directed city officials to find a way to give nearby residents a first chance at the units without putting the city in legal jeopardy.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
