A 73-unit affordable housing complex planned near the 405 Freeway in Long Beach has cleared a key milestone, with the city releasing a draft environmental study that kicks off a 60-day public comment period running through October 2. The project at 3401 Cerritos Avenue would rise on the edge of the California Heights Historic District, stepping down from a five-story building along Wardlow Road to just two stories at the rear to soften its impact on the neighboring single-family homes.
The City of Long Beach Community Development Department released the Draft Environmental Impact Report on August 3, 2026, according to city documents. As reported by Urbanize LA, the complex would include 73 apartments spanning one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom floor plans, plus a legally required manager’s unit, with 86 parking spaces built into the design.
Nonprofit developer West Hollywood Community Housing Corp. is behind the proposal, working with Urban Architecture Lab on the design, per Urbanize LA’s report. The organization, founded in 1986, already manages 22 housing communities totaling 785 units across Southern California, according to The Real Deal, and has projects in Los Angeles and Culver City in addition to Long Beach.
How the City Landed the Site
The project’s path traces back to a 2024 real estate maneuver by the city itself. The Long Beach Community Investment Company purchased the project’s two parcels for $5.4 million in January of that year, a move that saved $2.9 million in state grant funds facing a strict March 2024 expenditure deadline, the article notes. That municipal ownership gave the city direct leverage to steer the site toward affordable housing rather than leaving its fate to a private buyer…