An affordable housing project near Lake Balboa is drawing backlash from area residents, who say they were blindsided by the development and are now questioning the transparency of the process — and the role their elected officials may have played in moving the project forward.

The 194-unit project, located at 17100 Victory Boulevard, sits across from a charter high school and within walking distance of the Metro G Line Balboa Station, a location that qualified it for incentives under the city’s Transit Oriented Communities Program, which encourages affordable housing near transit. It also moved forward under Mayor Bass’ Executive Directive 1, which allows 100% affordable housing projects to bypass lengthy public hearings through ministerial review.

But the streamlined process has left nearby residents asking why they were left out. Some are also pressing Councilmember Imelda Padilla, whose District 6 includes the development, for clarity for her involvement and whether the project could have been paused.

“This is a very sensitive project that was started by the former CD6 Councilwoman Nury Martinez, and continues now with Councilwoman Padilla at the Mayor’s Office with no community outreach, no transparency and not even any typical community environmental study,” said Mihran Kalaydjian, president of the Winnetka Neighborhood Council.

“Basically we are introducing new buildings and units without a structured study of population density, traffic impacts and other community impacts, measures and mitigation,” he added.

That frustration boiled over at a June 1 Neighborhood Watch meeting, where more than 80 residents packed into a community room in Lake Balboa to voice their anger. The tone turned tense almost immediately, prompting LAPD Senior Lead Officer Mike Terrazas, who oversees the area, to step in repeatedly to calm the crowd.

“I know there are emotional issues here,” Terrazas said after a burst of shouting. “Like I said in the beginning, we don’t want to end the meeting before it starts.”

When he called it a rare opportunity to speak directly with their elected representative, some in the audience responded with sarcastic laughter.

Councilmember Padilla told the crowd that the driving force behind the project was a citywide push to address homelessness.

She also explained that while the project falls within her district, her ability to intervene was limited by Mayor Karen Bass’ Executive Directive 1, which she said “simply took away the power from the City Council as it pertains to building density and homeless housing.”

“I would say it’s about a done deal,” she added. “You could still talk to the mayor’s office,” Padilla also noted that she told the developer, “You’re going to have to face the community”.

Her remarks did little to ease the tension. One man stood up and shouted, “Enjoy your job while you still have it.” Another added: “We’ll vote you out,” as at least half a dozen people stormed out of the room one-third of the way through the meeting. Others demanded a dedicated townhall or an audience with the mayor.

“We need to have a meeting just on these topics,” said Steve Leffert, a long-time Lake Balboa resident.

Multiple residents raised concerns about the project’s impact on public safety, traffic congestion and its proximity to Birmingham Community Charter High School.

“It’s just going to create a nightmare for traffic, for parking,” Leffert added. “It’s already gridlocked in the mornings.”

“I’m not against building homes for homelessness and stuff like that,” said Kyle Whitten, another resident. “I just don’t think it needs to be done across the street from the school.”

In a statement to this publication Friday, Padilla said her office first heard from the developer in late 2023, after the project had already been approved for expedited processing by the Planning Department.

“We immediately directed them to engage with the Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council and other community stakeholders,” she said. “As concerns grew, I called on the developer to identify possible solutions, and we have identified improvements, including a rideshare program for students and prioritizing Lake Balboa families for housing.”

She acknowledged that community frustration has continued to build, including at the recent Neighborhood Watch meeting.

“Public engagement is essential to our democracy, especially at the local level,” she said, “and I remain committed to elevating those concerns with departments like City Planning and LADOT to ensure that critical issues, including traffic, school safety, and construction impacts, are addressed with urgency and care.”

Linc Housing, the developer behind this project, said it began coordinating with Padilla’s office shortly after she took office in December 2023.

The team presented the project to the Encino Neighborhood Council’s land use committee in March 2024, met with the Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council this May, and held a meeting with Padilla and the principal of Birmingham High School. Linc said it’s currently evaluating the possibility of adding more on-site, off-site parking based on community feedback.

The Victory Boulevard project will include 76 parking stalls and 134 bicycle spaces – even though no parking was required under the city’s Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) program, which was established by Measure JJJ in 2016, Linc said.

“We understand that some residents have raised concerns about traffic, parking availability, and public safety,” it said. “However, both research and experience from similar affordable housing developments suggest these impacts are often less significant than anticipated.”

The project’s 194 units will span two five-story buildings – one of which includes a parking podium — and feature a mix of studios to three-bedroom apartments for families earning between 30% and 80% of the Area Median Income.

Two units will be set aside for on-site property managers. Planned amenities include community rooms, service offices, bicycle storage, courtyards, a tot lot, and more than 18,000 square feet of open space, nearly half of which will be landscaped.

The project is being developed in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, which approved up to $78.7 million in bond financing in February. HACLA will also provide operating subsidies to ensure long-term affordability and onsite resident services, Linc said.

The site lies near the Sepulveda Basin, which is expected to undergo a significant transformation in the coming years as part of the city’s final vision plan to revitalize the area.

A spokesperson for the Planning Department confirmed the project is moving forward under both the TOC Program and Executive Directive 1, which allowed for streamlined approval of affordable housing projects without public hearings or discretionary reviews.

The department issued a Letter of Compliance on Dec 4, 2023, finding that the development met all objective planning standards for TOC eligibility and qualified for streamlined approval under Executive Directive 1. The project is also exempt from the California Environmental Quality Review (CEQA), and the compliance letter cannot be appealed.

Still, some local institutions say they were left out of early conversations.

“We became aware of the affordable housing project from a community member who expressed serious concerns,” said Ari Bennett, principal of Birmingham High School, which sits across the street from the site. “While it makes sense to me that the open piece of land across from Birmingham would be a prime target for low-cost housing in a city that is in dire need of more affordable housing, we would have appreciated having input from the start.”

Bennett said the school’s main concerns are traffic along Victory Boulevard and the use of Birmingham Way as the project’s main driveway.

The principal also said he is “grateful” that Padilla facilitated a meeting for him with the developer and expressed appreciation for being included in ongoing discussions.

“I’m hopeful that the project can prioritize Birmingham and other local school students and families that are unhoused or doubling up with other families for the project so it’s directly benefiting those already living in this community,” he said.

According to Linc, the project is expected to break ground later this year, with construction completion anticipated in Summer 2027.