153-Unit Apartment Project in East Hollywood Faces Appeal

On January 14, the Los Angeles Planning Commission will consider two appeals to a proposed 153-unit apartment building located at 4629-4651 West Maubert Ave. 

The project, proposed by Carmel Partners, would involve merging and subdividing five lots into one lot, and demolishing the three existing multi-family buildings and accessory buildings on the site.

The project would be eight stories tall, with two levels of above-grade parking and 143,785 square feet (SF) of floor area. The applicant is seeking approval for an 80 percent increase in the maximum allowable density permitted in the SNAP–from 85 dwelling units to the proposed 153–in exchange for reserving 11 percent of the units–or 17 units–for Extremely Low-Income Households.

 The Los Angeles City Council determined that the project was statutorily exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) as a Sustainable Communities Project. 

The first appeal, from Abraham Soghomonian of the Los Feliz Preservation Coalition, claims that the project would not comply with the goals, guidelines or policies of the Hollywood Community Plan and the Vermont/Western Station SNAP Specific Plan. 

The second appeal, from Amy Gustincic of the Los Feliz Improvement Association, alleges that the project’s developer had been identified as part of the bribery scandal involving former City Council Member Jose Huizar, as well as that the project does not conform to the General or Specific Plans for the location.

The City staff recommends that the Planning Commission deny the appeals and sustain the Advisory Agency’s approval of the project.