The Los Angeles City Planning Commission has voted to approve plans for a large permanent supportive housing complex near the Vermont/Beverly Metro station, denying an appeal which sought to block the project's construction.

The proposed development, called Enlightment Plaza, would rise from an approximately 2.6-acre property bounded by Oakwood, Madison and Juanita Avenues.  Developer Flexible PSH Solutions, Inc. has proposed the construction of multiple eight-story structures featuring 454 apartments priced for the low-, very low-, and extremely low-income affordability levels.

KFA Architecture is designing Enlightenment Plaza, would consist of five separate buildings arranged around a central green space.  The contemporary mid-rise structures would be capped by rooftop decks and contain case management services and a total of 23 parking stalls.

An environmental study published by the City of Los Angeles states that the project would be built over an approximately 24-month period.  A groundbreaking date for the development has not been specified.

In approving the project entitlements - including a zone change and general plan amendment - the City Planning Commission also voted to deny an appeal which, in a bid to block construction of Enlightenment Plaza, argued that the housing complex will worsen traffic congestion and attract homeless people to the community.

A staff response, which notes that the appellant misidentified the project's developer as homeless services provider PATH, found no merit to the objections raised in the appeal.

PATH, the organization targeted by the appellant, is currently developing a similar supportive housing complex on a neighboring property.

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