LOS ANGELES—As the calls for affordable housing ring louder and louder in Los Angeles, affordable housing developers are targeting niche demographics to create housing that truly serves the community. Developer Meta Housing and designer Studio One Eleven have delivered Ace 121 in Glendale, an affordable housing community that targets low-income artists in Glendale. While this is the first project of it's kind, targeting niche demographics may become more common in affordable housing.
“Downtown Glendale has always had a little bit of an artist community, and it is one block West of our site,” Michael Bohn, senior principal and design director, Studio One Eleven, tells GlobeSt.com. “The city is trying to promote that as an artist district at the same time that new housing is going in and rents are going up. As a result, that arts district is struggling. Having a 70 unit affordable housing development with an artist preference is a perfect way of retaining artistic energy in that arts district.”
In Glendale, the city needed a place for its artists, but other communities have different needs. Bohn says that supporting the whole community and tailoring affordable projects to each community will encourage more affordable development. “There is a lot of NIMBYism against affordable housing and there is a historic stigma against affordable housing because people believe that these projects are institutional looking. People in all types of neighborhoods haven't embraced these communities. We have really tried to fight that at the local context and try to make these projects an asset to the local community,” says Bohn, who recounts a recent rehab project of six buildings in Long Beach that provided affordable housing while increasing the parking in the area and added a roundabout to help a speeding problem in the area. “As soon as the community realized the project would be an asset for them, they embraced it. We all need to be more creative and look at the specific needs of the community and create ways that these projects can help them.”
Kasey Burke, president of Meta Housing Corp., adds, “This is Meta Housing's fifth arts-focused affordable housing development, and we have several others currently under development. There is a deep demand for this product type. Cities understand the value in delivering high-quality, affordable environments in which artists can thrive and the beneficial impact these communities deliver for the neighborhoods in which they are built. ACE 121 in Glendale will be no exception.”
Ace 121 in Glendale succeeded at meeting the needs of the community in multiple ways. “This is a three-way partnership with the YMCA, Meta Housing and the City of Glendale,” adds Bohn. “Glendale's interest was to strengthen and ensure that there could be an artist community in the Downtown, and the YMCA had a parking lot that didn't provide enough parking for their constituents needs. Meta was able to provide more parking for the YMCA and a place for artists. It was really a win-win-win for everyone.”
Ace 121 is already 100% occupied. Meta Housing vets each resident ensure he or she meets the low income requirements, while a separate board reviews the artist's work. “This was such a homerun for everyone,” says Bohn. “We saw a lot of support.”
LOS ANGELES—As the calls for affordable housing ring louder and louder in Los Angeles, affordable housing developers are targeting niche demographics to create housing that truly serves the community. Developer Meta Housing and designer Studio One Eleven have delivered Ace 121 in Glendale, an affordable housing community that targets low-income artists in Glendale. While this is the first project of it's kind, targeting niche demographics may become more common in affordable housing.
“Downtown Glendale has always had a little bit of an artist community, and it is one block West of our site,” Michael Bohn, senior principal and design director, Studio One Eleven, tells GlobeSt.com. “The city is trying to promote that as an artist district at the same time that new housing is going in and rents are going up. As a result, that arts district is struggling. Having a 70 unit affordable housing development with an artist preference is a perfect way of retaining artistic energy in that arts district.”
In Glendale, the city needed a place for its artists, but other communities have different needs. Bohn says that supporting the whole community and tailoring affordable projects to each community will encourage more affordable development. “There is a lot of NIMBYism against affordable housing and there is a historic stigma against affordable housing because people believe that these projects are institutional looking. People in all types of neighborhoods haven't embraced these communities. We have really tried to fight that at the local context and try to make these projects an asset to the local community,” says Bohn, who recounts a recent rehab project of six buildings in Long Beach that provided affordable housing while increasing the parking in the area and added a roundabout to help a speeding problem in the area. “As soon as the community realized the project would be an asset for them, they embraced it. We all need to be more creative and look at the specific needs of the community and create ways that these projects can help them.”
Kasey Burke, president of Meta Housing Corp., adds, “This is Meta Housing's fifth arts-focused affordable housing development, and we have several others currently under development. There is a deep demand for this product type. Cities understand the value in delivering high-quality, affordable environments in which artists can thrive and the beneficial impact these communities deliver for the neighborhoods in which they are built. ACE 121 in Glendale will be no exception.”
Ace 121 in Glendale succeeded at meeting the needs of the community in multiple ways. “This is a three-way partnership with the YMCA, Meta Housing and the City of Glendale,” adds Bohn. “Glendale's interest was to strengthen and ensure that there could be an artist community in the Downtown, and the YMCA had a parking lot that didn't provide enough parking for their constituents needs. Meta was able to provide more parking for the YMCA and a place for artists. It was really a win-win-win for everyone.”
Ace 121 is already 100% occupied. Meta Housing vets each resident ensure he or she meets the low income requirements, while a separate board reviews the artist's work. “This was such a homerun for everyone,” says Bohn. “We saw a lot of support.”
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