The LA Metro Board recently authorized entering into a Joint Development Agreement with NOHO Development Associates, LLC, an affiliate of Trammel Crow Company (TCC) and High Street Residential (TCC’s subsidiary), to build and operate an 11.8-acre development with mixed-income housing, retail, office, and open space at the Metro North Hollywood Station. Additionally, the Board approved the expenditure of an additional $39.6 million to support transportation system and mobility improvements, highway operational improvements, and transit investments in the South Bay subregion of Los Angeles.
Known as District NoHo, the residential development will be the largest in LA Metro’s history, including more affordable homes and more total units than any other project, according to the agency. The development includes at least 311 housing units reserved for individuals and families earning less than 60% of the median income for Los Angeles County to be delivered in the initial phases of the project.
In addition, the initial phase includes the construction of approximately 570 mixed-income apartments including five percent reserved for moderate-income households earning 80% to 120% of median income. When completed, the project will provide more than 1,400 apartments along with retail and office space, along with more than two acres of publicly accessible open space, according to the agency. The Board also adopted the ‘findings of fact’ for the project—a key step to comply with state environmental law.
“We have to get creative if we’re going to build the housing we need in LA County, and District NoHo is an ambitious model of how we can maximize the space around our stations. This is not only going to provide hundreds of new affordable homes for people, it’s also going to give them direct access to our Metro rail system with a station right downstairs,” said LA County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Janice Hahn. “It may be the biggest effort like this so far along Metro, but it will not be the last.”
LA Metro’s Vision 2028 Strategic Plan encourages the development of affordable housing near transit to give more people, especially in low-income communities, better access to transit. In 2021, LA Metro’s Board established a goal of expanding the agency’s housing portfolio through the Joint Development program to 10,000 homes by 2031, with 5,000 of the apartments to be restricted at affordable rents for lower and moderate-income households. To meet the goal, LA Metro has partnered with local developers to increase the supply of high-quality housing on LA Metro properties, especially income-restricted apartments. In addition to providing much-needed housing, these new projects, the agency says, can advance many community development goals and serve as a gateway to the LA Metro transit system.
“Metro’s approach to Joint Development starts with a basic principle: Communities are stronger when people have a diverse range of housing options, jobs, and services located near quality transit,” said LA Metro CEO Stephanie Wiggins. “Metro has a strong interest in ensuring the people who ride public transportation can afford to live near it. By directly linking Metro’s network to housing, employment, retail, and commercial opportunities, Metro expects to continue to grow transit ridership.”
More information on LA Metro’s Joint Development program is available here.
Separately, the $39.6 million in funding announced on Oct. 2 will be used for projects such as bike lanes, pedestrian bridges, and traffic signal updates, and is expected to improve mobility, safety and access to public transit, LA Metro noted.
Funding for these projects will come from Measure M, a sales tax supported by more than 70% of LA County voters in 2016 to invest in Los Angeles and a better transportation system, and Measure R, a half-cent sales tax approved by a two-thirds majority of LA County voters in 2008 to finance new transportation projects and programs and accelerate those already in the pipeline.
Measure M Multi-Year Subregional Programs (MSP) and Measure R South Bay Transit Investment Programs are included in the Measure M and/or Measure R Expenditure Plans. The annual update allows the South Bay subregion and implementing agencies to approve new eligible projects for funding and revise scopes of works, schedules and project budgets for previously funded projects. At the September Board of Director’s meeting, the Board made changes to projects that previously received Board approvals and approved funding allocations for new projects. Funds are programmed through Fiscal Year 2027-28.
Four recommendations were approved by the Board and will move forward with execution:
Transportation System and Mobility Improvements
- This provides funding of an additional $11.1 million to support projects such as the South Bay Local Travel Network (LTN) and related safety enhancements in Lomita, the LTN in Carson, and the Avalon Promenade and Gateway in the City of LA. The Avalon project includes construction of a dedicated pedestrian/cycling bridge over active freight railroad tracks and approximately 12 acres of public open space adjacent to the pedestrian bridge.
South Bay Highway Operational Improvements Program
- This provides an additional $11.6 million to support projects including the North East Hawthorne Mobility Improvement Project and traffic signal communications and network systems. The project includes the installation of flashing beacons for pedestrian safety, new traffic signal installation, and construction of new ADA ramps.
- Additional projects included in this program include the Inglewood Downtown Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) project, which allows the City to monitor real-time traffic conditions and take proper action when congestion or problems occur and upgrading the Crenshaw Blvd. traffic signal systems to be fully integrated and compatible with the City’s ITS network.
Transportation System and Mobility Improvements Program
- This provides additional funding of $600,000 to extend the existing North Redondo Beach Bikeway from Felton Lane to Inglewood Avenue.
Measure R Transit Investments Program
- This provides an additional $16.3 million within Measure R South Bay transit investments program to support the Inglewood Transit Connector Project.
With Board approval, LA Metro says it will now execute funding agreements with the implementing agencies to initiate projects and continue working with the South Bay subregion to identify and deliver these projects. LA Metro partnered with the South Bay Council of Governments (COG) and its member cities to deliver the promises of Measures R and M.
