John Maguire; Redevelopment Agency Official

John Maguire, urban affairs expert who developed low-income housing for the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles, has died. He was 57.

Maguire, who also helped draft the federal Housing Act of 1968, died Nov. 11 at his home in Los Angeles of liver failure caused by complications of hepatitis and AIDS, said his partner, Jay McCaslin.

As Community Redevelopment Agency deputy administrator and creator of its housing services section, Maguire worked to develop more than 26,000 units of affordable housing throughout the city. Among his projects were the downtown Premiere Towers on Spring Street, Sheridan Manor on Western Avenue and Vista Montoya in Pico-Union.

He also helped set up the Single Room Occupancy Housing Corp. in 1984 to renovate and manage skid row hotels for use by the homeless and recovering alcoholics.

The goal, Maguire said repeatedly, was to build “housing that nobody else is building.”

In addition to McCaslin, Maguire is survived by his former wife, Joan Maguire.

A memorial celebration is scheduled at 5 p.m. on Dec. 2 at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles.

The family has asked that memorial contributions be sent to Los Angeles Shanti Foundation, 1616 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90028, or to First AME Church, 2270 S. Harvard Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90018.