A new micro-apartment complex has been built for veterans with disabilities who’ve experienced homelessness in South Los Angeles. Willowbrook Apartments, designed by local architecture firm Lehrer Architects, aims to be the blueprint for future affordable housing projects in LA County. The complex, built in South LA’s Willowbrook neighborhood, was created in partnership with LA County and RETHINK Housing, a nonprofit development consortium.
Uplifting design
The apartments feature combined living-sleeping areas, along with kitchenettes and bathrooms. Wide passageways, high ceilings, skylights, and a bright yellow color scheme create a light and airy feel. “It’s fresh and very California,” said Lehrer Architects. A yellow path also runs through the complex offering “an enriched sense of arrival”. “Each bend and turn in the path provides real or implied mindful pause from the street to the front door, enhancing the separation from the public realm to the private,” the design team said. “This is something that is meaningful and critical for all residents, but even more so for those that have previously been unhoused.”
Destigmatizing low-income housing
According to Michael B Lehrer, Lehrer Architects founder, Willowbrook Apartments is the blueprint for other similar future builds. “For these communities to be realized – with a level of beauty, intention and design-consciousness not often seen in these types of projects – everyone involved must go beyond their professional and, often, financial comfort level,” he said. Lehrer also noted the importance of normalizing the concept of “complete neighborhoods” with various different types of housing so as to destigmatize low-income housing.
Willowbrook Apartments “is a model of how a complete community should include multiple forms of housing existing in harmony together and caring for every resident, especially the most vulnerable,” said Lehrer. Indeed, homelessness is a key challenge facing veterans with 3,681 veterans currently living in LA County without housing. Additionally, 51% of homeless veterans are also diagnosed with a disability. Fortunately, veterans who sustained a disability during military service may be eligible for financial compensation. The VA disability calculator ranks each disability by a percentage rating, which determines compensation amount.
Significant challenges
In partnership with nonprofit Restore Neighborhoods Los Angeles, and Genesis LA community bank, Lehrer Architects successfully designs prototypes for affordable starter homes in South LA. Lehrer notes the process of creating these homes is not an easy one.
“Bureaucratic challenges remain extreme, if not deadly, particularly leading up to permitting and construction,” said Lehrer. “When it comes to tackling the housing crisis in Los Angeles, innovation often stalls because there is no clear path to financing new housing models”.
In turn, Lehrer launched RETHINK Housing, a nonprofit development consortium which purchases cheap or unwanted land and finances property development.
Lehrer Architects also recently completed two tiny-home developments for homeless people in North Hollywood. With the completion of Willowbrook Apartments, it’s hoped similar builds will only increase in the future.
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