Lincoln Heights affordable housing project breaks ground

Los Angeles city leaders and project organizers gathered for a ground-breaking ceremony on Monday to celebrate a new affordable housing project that will transform an underutilized city-owned parking lot into apartments.

Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez joined with the nonprofit Women Organizing Resources, Knowledge, and Services (WORKS)
to announce the development of the Grace Villas project, made up of 48 multifamily apartments.

"We literally completed funding for this project on Friday, and are ready to start construction in a week," Mary Jane Wagle, CEO of WORKS, said.

The former Los Angeles Department of Transportation lot will be converted into homes, featuring 48 permanent affordable apartments consisting of  21 one-bedroom units, 15 two-bedroom units, and 12 three-bedroom units. "We're talking about families," Hernandez said.

Families that earn between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income will qualify, targeting specifically low-income families, transitional-aged youth, and residents with developmental disabilities.

"This is what it looks like to use every public tool we have, and every piece of land and every policy and every dollar to fight displacement and make this city work for the people," Hernandez said.  

The property will remain under Los Angeles City ownership, "so that the city can ensure the use of the property into the future for the benefit of the community," Wagle said.

The construction of Grace Villas is expected to be complete in late 2026.