The Warner Center neighborhood is ramping up to house thousands of new affordable housing units.
A 2 million-square-foot assisted living facility in Woodland Hills, called Viva L.A. at Warner Center, was unveiled by developers on Wednesday. The project will contribute 3,200 affordable housing units to the neighborhood.
“Viva L.A. at Warner Center represents our conviction that affordable housing, paired with assisted living services as needed, can be delivered at the scale and density that California’s aging population in core urban centers actually needs,” George Kutnerian, co-founder and chief executive of assisted living provider Wellpointe Inc., which is developing the project, said in a statement.
He said Viva “builds upon Wellpointe’s mission of democratizing access to quality housing and care for older adults – now through transit-oriented, high-density, community-serving urban social infrastructure. Viva L.A. at Warner Center is the first manifestation of this new urban co-living vision.”
Utilizing an executive directive
It’s by far the most complex housing project unveiled under Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ Executive Directive 1 from 2022, which accelerated the approval and permitting processes for certain housing projects. Around 47,000 affordable housing residences developed under the executive directive are underway.
“Viva LA at Warner Center will become a transformative investment in the West San Fernando Valley,” Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said in a statement. “This project expands affordable housing options for our aging population while making meaningful progress in addressing our housing crisis. I’m excited about this development and the lasting benefits it will bring to our community.”
Other projects in the area
But it’s not the only affordable housing development coming to the Warner Center area. A 2.7-acre land parcel that holds a 35,000-square-foot building sold on Thursday to Elysian Housing and Capstone Equities. That parcel, sold for an undisclosed amount, will be used to develop an affordable housing project.
The sale was facilitated by the Lee & Associates LA North/Ventura office.
“There is no debate that there is a huge need for affordable housing but development in Los Angeles has many hurdles and requires creativity,” said John Battle, who is part of the Lee & Associates team and worked on several development projects in the neighborhood. “Los Angeles faces undeniable challenges in delivering much‑needed affordable housing, and overcoming those hurdles requires both creativity and persistence. Projects like this demonstrate what’s possible when experienced teams lean into innovation to move housing forward.”
The project, dubbed The Green at Warner Center, will build around 300 one- to three-bedroom apartments and 300 parking spaces. It’s situated near several office buildings, retail spaces, parks and restaurants.
“Warner Center’s ongoing evolution continues to draw developers who recognize the long‑term potential of one of the region’s fastest‑growing community hubs,” said Jay Rubin, who represented the seller, Zenith Insurance Co. “Its transformation is creating a dynamic environment for investment, growth, and next‑generation development.”
