A housing project in Skid Row billed as the largest homeless housing development in Los Angeles history broke ground Tuesday.
The Weingart Towers include a 19-story high-rise at 555-561 S. Crocker St. and a 12-story high-rise at 554-562 S. San Pedro St.. Together, they’ll provide about 382 units, about three times the number of units in the next-largest development funded by Proposition HHH.
The ballot initiative passed in November 2016 set aside about $1.2 billion to build 10,000 units for homeless Angelenos.
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“Weingart Towers embodies everything we promised to Angelenos when they said ‘yes' on Prop HHH and empowered us to build these comprehensive solutions to homelessness,'' Mayor Eric Garcetti said. "This development is a clear marker of how far we've come in our mission to deliver the high-quality, permanent supportive units that unhoused Angelenos urgently need and deserve -- and is an extraordinary example of the type of project that will make real progress in this crisis.''
The first phase of the project, constructing the tower on Crocker Street, will cost $160 million -- $32 million of which comes from Proposition HHH -- and is expected to be complete in 2023. Forty of the 278 units will be reserved for veterans, and all residents will receive supportive services.
The second tower, which is expected to begin construction in the summer of 2022, will include 104 units and is funded through $16 million from Proposition HHH. Along with Proposition HHH funding, the development received funding from the Los Angeles County Development Corporation, Pacific Western Bank, an Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grant from the state of California, and 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit Equity.
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The project will receive Section 8 Project Based Vouchers from Housing Authority of Los Angeles and Housing and Urban Development Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers.
