IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD : Lincoln Place: A Classic Affordable-Housing Battle

For generations, Los Angeles tenants, property owners and public policy-makers have battled over how to maintain affordable housing in the city. The disagreement continues at Venice’s Lincoln Place apartments--a pleasant, tree-lined 40-acre complex of 795 apartments nearly a half-century old. The current owner wants to demolish and replace the whole complex over a 10-year period, ending up with 654 market-rate condominiums selling at $280,000 and up, plus 196 low-income apartments and “below market-rate” townhomes on which current residents would have first call. Current monthly rents on one- and two-bedroom units range from $388 to $971.

The Lincoln Place Tenants Assn. formed in response to a previous renovation plan, has tried unsuccessfully to purchase the property. Now members are trying to block demolition of what they regard as attractive, structurally sound buildings more in need of repair than replacement.

A rival tenant group, Lincoln Place Tomorrow, supports the owner’s claims that the apartments’ inadequate parking and aging electrical, plumbing and heating systems make new construction the only economically sensible option.

A 45-YEAR-OLD-COMMUNITY

1949-’85

Built in response to severe post-WWII housing shortage. (The location has changed so little since construction that Lincoln Place was recently used as a location for Tim Burton’s period movie, “Ed Wood.”)

1986-’89

Complex is acquired by TransAction Cos. of Berkeley. Angry residents form Lincoln Place Tenants Assn. (LPTA) to remain in their apartments when owners issue eviction notices to begin rehab work, which would have increased rents.

1990

TransAction Cos. discloses plans for demolition of current structures and proposes redevelopment.

1992-’93

LPTA offers to buy Lincoln Place for $47.7 million. The offer is later modified to $40 million. Owners reject it.

1994

City Planning Department holds public hearing. Council member Ruth Galanter advises city building and zoning officials of her opposition to the project as proposed.

PRESERVE IT

RUTH HOLZGREEN, 15 1/2-year resident, member of Lincoln Place Tenants Assn.; opposes rebuilding

Of course, (the buildings) are old and there’s always going to be repairs. Even new buildings need to be repaired. But it’s unconscionable to destroy something that’s still good. In my mind I can’t conceive other than that the proposed development is pure greed. Leave Lincoln Place for the people who need affordable housing. Build more affluent housing elsewhere.

STEVE RASMUSSEN CANCIAN

Lead organizer, Coalition for Economic Survival, a Los Angeles tenants’ rights group

Lincoln Place represents a significant percentage of the affordable housing in Venice and in the City of Los Angeles. It is essential to preserving the ethnic and economic diversity of Venice. We already have the worst affordable housing crisis in the nation and we can’t afford to lose more units.

REPLACE IT

MARY ROBERTS

19-year resident, member of Lincoln Place Tomorrow; supports redevelopment

If I thought (the owner) and his group were wrong I would fight it tooth and nail--just like I’m trying to fight for my dignity and a nice place to live. There’s not a day goes by that I don’t worry about the electricity. The plumbing is bad. It’s nobody’s fault; it’s just the age of the buildings. What we’re trying to do here is uplift the area, give it some prospects of hope.

MARC RYAVEC,

Board member, Venice Action Committee, a community-based service and beautification organization

The tenants have made good faith proposals which, unfortunately, ignore the underlying economics of the situation. The answer here is not taking property rights. The answer is for the city to use various incentives to get the private sector to do what it wants them to do. But in the absence of a compromise I support the owner’s proposal because they’re the ones taking the risk.

NEIGHBORHOOD SNAPSHOT

LINCOLN PLACE

Population: 1,450

Households: 781--more than half with incomes under $40,000 annually

Population by age:

18-61 years: 69%

62 years and over: 16%

under 18 years: 15%

By race and ethnicity

White and Hispanic: 88%

Asian: 6%

Black: 3%

Other: 3%

VENICE

Population by age:

18-61 years: 74%

under 18 years: 16%

62 years and over: 10%

By race and ethnicity:

White and Hispanic: 72%

Asian: 3%

Black: 10%

Other: 15%

Researched by JAMES BLAIR / For The Times