Get AI Briefings, Transcripts & Alerts on Local & National Government Meetings — Forever.
Committee directs extension of financial commitments to four AHMP projects and asks LAHD to explain selection process after Venistel and Prisma were removed
Summary
At the April 9 meeting the Housing and Homelessness Committee approved a motion to extend financial commitments and issue support letters for four projects in the Affordable Housing Managed Pipeline that will apply to the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee in 2025.
At the April 9 meeting the Housing and Homelessness Committee approved a motion to extend financial commitments and issue support letters for four projects in the Affordable Housing Managed Pipeline (AHMP) that will apply to the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) in 2025. The committee also requested a 30-day report from the Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD) on the criteria used to determine eligibility for initial commitments and extensions and on how LAHD communicates decisions to prospective applicants.
Committee members moved the measure after a series of public comments from developers and housing advocates who said two previously committed projects, Venice Del (referred in public comment as "Venistel" or "Venisteel") and PRISMA, had been removed from a recent transmittal. Several speakers advocated for restoring the projects—funding extension to ensure they remain competitive for state credits.
Sarah Letts, executive director of Hollywood Community Housing, said her organization had signed an ENA in 2017 and a DDA in June 2022 and had received an award letter for $6,300,000. She told the committee that the projects won key land-use approvals and Coastal Commission action, and that removal from the current transmittal harms financing timelines. "On January 23, we were told by the housing department that our award letter for 6,300,000 was included in the transmittal to extend the expiration date of the funding commitment. As you can see, Venistel is not in the transmittal before you today. I ask you to direct the housing department to move forward with an extension of the funding commitment for Venistel," Letts said.
Erica Lee, executive director of Venice Community Housing and co-developer for Venice Del, said the two projects were removed "erroneously" and asked the committee to direct LAHD to add Venice Del and PRISMA back to the managed pipeline so the projects could remain eligible for state funding competitions.
The committee approved the CAO—s recommendation as amended: to extend financial commitments to the four AHMP projects on the transmittal and to issue support letters for TCAC applications, and to ask LAHD to report within 30 days on selection criteria and applicant communications. The recorded roll call showed the committee approved the item with Councilmember Grama voting yes; Councilmember Haddo absent; Councilmember Blumenfield recorded "Aye." The clerk recorded the item as approved 2-0.
Committee members discussed broader cost drivers in the affordable housing sector and the need for transparent explanations of why projects move forward or not. The chair asked LAHD and CAO staff to provide a clear account of selection criteria so the committee can maintain community trust as projects seek state financing.
