Lake Balboa and Sun Valley residents assail Padilla projects; councilmember urges continued talks

Dozens of residents from Lake Balboa, Sun Valley and nearby neighborhoods used general public comment at a Los Angeles City Council field meeting to criticize Councilmember Imelda Padilla’s handling of several housing proposals, saying the projects threaten neighborhood safety, schools and public space.

The speakers singled out two proposals repeatedly: a private housing project at or near Victory Boulevard (described by speakers as a 194-unit development) and a tiny‑home proposal connected to the Sun Valley/Metrolink site (also described by speakers as up to roughly 215 tiny homes). "Councilmember Padilla is well aware from the very beginning that Lake Balboa and Encino stakeholders opposed the construction," said Danica Middleton, who identified herself as secretary of a Lake Balboa stakeholder group. "There will be a student killed by massive amounts of traffic."

The comments were echoed by neighborhood leaders. "Our community vehemently opposes 2 destructive projects on Victory Boulevard," said Linda Gravani, president of the Lake Balboa Neighborhood Council, who said the Birmingham School complex has a collective student population of about 6,000 and that the project site is directly across from the…