Poll Shows Opposition to Housing for Seniors

More than two-thirds of Hidden Hills residents polled opposed plans to build low-cost housing for senior citizens on the edge of the exclusive community, city officials said Tuesday.

But Mayor Chris K. Van Peski, who had hoped that the poll would vindicate the council’s support for lower-cost housing, said the turnout was so low that “we basically failed to get the sense of the community.” Only 410 of the 1,100 registered voters eligible to participate took part.

Under the council’s plan, a developer will build a 46-unit project for senior citizens on land the city will annex from Los Angeles County. The project would be outside the city’s gates. The plan would allow the city to settle a suit by Los Angeles County and an attorney over city use of redevelopment agency funds in a flood-control project. The suit cited state law requiring 20% of such funds to be spent on lower-cost housing.

The council is to meet tonight to discuss the non-binding poll.