HACLA Joins Community Corp. to Celebrate Opening of Westchester’s First 100% Affordable Housing Development

Historic Property Named After Tuskegee Airmen is first project built under new state law AB721

LOS ANGELES - Community Corporation of Santa Monica celebrated the ribbon-cutting of Red Tail Crossing, Westchester's first 100% affordable housing development and the first project built under a new state law barring private redlining-era covenants from blocking affordable housing.

For Red Tail Crossing to move forward, Community Corp. Executive Director and Westchester-Playa resident Tara Barauskas pushed for the new law AB721, sponsored by former California Assemblymember Richard Bloom, to overturn a private covenant from the 1940s that banned multifamily housing, Jews and people of color from living on the site. AB 721 prevents density restrictions in racially-motivated private covenants from blocking affordable housing in California.

"I had to decide whether to walk away or fight," said Tara Barauskas, executive director of Community Corp. "I had never seen such a large lot on the Westside available for affordable housing, and I couldn't let that opportunity slip away for 100 families. This opening truly represents a tremendous accomplishment, and it's even more meaningful to help tackle L.A.'s affordable housing crisis by building in my own neighborhood."

Councilmember Traci Park commemorated the opening of the historic property, alongside Lourdes Castro Ramírez, president and CEO of The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, which is contributing 40 Project-Based Vouchers to the project over the next 20 years. It's Community Corp's first project within HACLA's Permanent Supportive Housing-PBV program.

"HACLA's partnership with Community Corp. ensures that formerly homeless individuals now have a safe and high-quality place to live," Castro Ramírez said. "We are proud to anchor this historic development with $26.4 million in rental subsidies, to secure deep affordability and a stable sanctuary for our neighbors to call home."

Red Tail Crossing, named in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, features a stepped-back 2-to 5-story building with 102 1-3 bedroom apartments for households earning 15-60% of the Area Median Income (AMI). Forty of the 1-bedroom units are designated for the formerly unhoused and/or individuals with disabilities.

To foster connectedness, the development features 25,639 square feet of landscaped outdoor space for community activities, a community center with a kitchen and classrooms, an outdoor playground, courtyards with BBQs and picnic areas, fitness equipment and wellness studios. The environmentally sustainable building features all-electric construction, solar panels, energy star appliances and EV charging stations.

"We're proud to help bring Red Tail Crossing to life as Westchester's first 100% affordable housing community, responding to the urgent need for quality affordable homes in Los Angeles," said William Ho, Executive Director, J.P. Morgan Community Development Banking, which helped fund the project. "With housing near jobs, schools and transit, along with supportive services for residents exiting homelessness, this development offers families real pathways to stability and opportunity."

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About Community Corporation of Santa Monica:

Community Corporation of Santa Monica is a nonprofit organization that restores, builds and manages affordable housing for people of modest means. Founded by community leaders in 1982, Community Corp. has built or restored more than 95 properties throughout Santa Monica and Los Angeles, creating over 2,000 affordable homes and transforming the lives of more than 4,000 people every year. Our work contributes to the distinct character of Westside communities. For more information, please visit our website at www.communitycorp.org.

About HACLA:

The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), established in 1938, provides affordable housing, rental assistance, and supportive services to more than 200,000 Angelenos. Its administrative portfolio includes 164 properties - 12 of which are public housing developments - totaling over 12,000 units, along with more than 60,000 Housing Vouchers and Certificates through the Section 8 program. For more information, visit www.hacla.org.

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