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Politics & Government

Officials to Hold 'Beam Signing' for Weho Housing Project

City and county officials are set to celebrate the Courtyard at La Brea affordable housing development.

West Hollywood and Los Angeles County officials have scheduled a ceremony Friday to celebrate the construction of the Courtyard at La Brea affordable housing project, the city announced Wednesday.

Weho City Council members, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky and Cordé Carrillo of the county Community Development Commission will join officials from the West Hollywood Community Housing Corp. (WHCHC) at the "beam signing" event on the roof deck of Congregation Kol Ami, 1200 N. La Brea Ave.

According to a city of West Hollywood press release:

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The Courtyard at La Brea will be a 32-unit affordable-housing apartment building on La Brea Avenue near the City of West Hollywood’s eastern gateway. It will provide housing for low- and very-low income residents, as well as people with disabilities and transition-age youth. ... The renovation is under the direction of the architectural team of Patrick Tighe and John Mutlow. Mutlow is an architect with a long career in affordable housing. Tighe designed the Sierra Bonita Apartments, another of the WHCHC’s successful affordable housing projects.

The Courtyard at La Brea’s design has an emphasis on sustainability and will be GreenPoint rated, with features including an edible garden, a composting program and storm water management strategies. The two-tower residential structures enclose a central landscaped interior courtyard, which is open to the south. The entrance to the building is also on the south side, which is surrounded by a sculpturally woven white contemporary exterior.

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City Manager Paul Arevalo reported at the Dec. 17 council meeting that the state had denied redevelopment funding that would go toward an extensive $41 million makeover of Plummer Park as well as the Courtyard at La Brea.

This jeopardized municipal bonds the city sold to finance both projects, with $9 million designated for the Courtyard at La Brea, West Hollywood Finance Director David Wilson said.

"The city will lend Affordable Housing Trust Fund monies as a back stop if we were not allowed to use the bond proceeds," Wilson said.

The Courtyard at La Brea is targeted to start accepting residents this fall.

The estimated cost for the project is $14.8 million, according to a document from the state Treasurer's office.

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