West Hollywood : Low-Income Housing Plan

The City Council on Monday approved an amendment to the General Plan that will allow nonprofit developers to build more low-cost housing units.

The amendment awards such developers a “density bonus” that permits them to build twice the number of units allowed under the plan, up to 20.

For example, under the revised General Plan, nonprofit developers can now build 16 housing units on a parcel of land that allows eight units. Developers must still build withing the same space, resulting in smaller units, said Debbie Potter, the city’s manager for housing and economic development. All units must be affordable for low- and moderate-income renters, Potter said.

Nonprofit developers are corporations that exclusively build low-income housing, such as Alternative Living for the Aged and the West Hollywood Housing Corp. They often depend on municipal and state funding and zoning variances, such as the density bonus.

Paul Zimmerman, executive director of the West Hollywood Community Housing Corp., said the amendment will aid senior citizens because the extra units will rent for less than the prevailing rate.

“If you’re going to build housing that rents for $350 to $400 (per month) that would normally be rented for $1,500, there has to be recoupment somewhere for the developers,” Zimmerman said. “That recoupment will come in the form of rent from extra units formerly not allowed by the plan.”