Los Angeles Eldercare Facility Unified Permit
- DL Smith Company
- Nov 28, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: May 25, 2021
The eldercare facility unified permit allows the Zoning Administrator, as the initial decision maker, may, upon application, permit an Eldercare Facility to be located on a lot or lots in the A1 through R3 Zones, or in the RAS3, R4, RAS4, R5, and all C Zones, when an Eldercare Facility does not meet the use, area, or height provisions of the respective zone.
The Los Angeles Municipal Code outlines the eldercare facility unified permit development standards here:
In order to qualify for an eldercare permit, a project must minimally meet these six criteria:
1. the strict application of the land use regulations on the subject property would result in practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships inconsistent with the general purpose and intent of the zoning regulations;
2. that the project's location, size, height, operations and other significant features shall be compatible with and shall not adversely affect or further degrade adjacent properties, the surrounding neighborhood, or the public health, welfare, and safety;
3. that the project shall provide services to the elderly such as housing, medical services, social services, or long-term care to meet citywide demand;
4. that the project shall not create an adverse impact on street access or circulation in the surrounding neighborhood;
5. that the project provides for an arrangement of uses, buildings, structures, open spaces and other improvements that are compatible with the scale and character of the adjacent properties and surrounding neighborhood; and
6. that the project is in substantial conformance with the purposes, intent and provisions of the General Plan, applicable community plan, and with any applicable specific plan.
Although the development standards are stated in the municipal code, there is no set of criteria that can be strictly and repeatedly applied as it requires a set of subjective findings to be met in order to be approved. What is helpful is to study current and previous cases with the use of the permit to try and better understand it's limits and viability as a tool. The study of project locations, applications, findings, site plans, CEQA studies, and the implementation of the eldercare facility unified permit can help facilitate a better understanding of what makes care based senior housing projects feasible in the Los Angeles area.
The goal is to make this blog post a working tool for those interested in better understanding the use, implementation, and application of the Los Angeles Eldercare Facility Unified Permit. See below for twenty five cases that have implemented the use of the permit.
All information provided is obtained from publicly available sources and nothing proprietary is included. If any project sponsors have concerns regarding the information being shared, please contact me directly at dustin@dlsmithco.com
Reseda & Chatsworth - 87 Assisted Living Unit and 27 Memory Care Units
See below for links to the 2021 Case Information, 2021 Planning Application, Findings, and Preliminary Project Plans.
Ararat Home Mission Hills - 101 Independent Living units, 159 Memory Care units, 78 Assisted Living units, and 96 Skilled Nursing Units
See below for links to the 2021 Case Information, 2021 Planning Application, and Preliminary Project Plans.
Roxbury - 48 Independent Living units and 9 Assisted Living units
See below for links to the 2018 Case Information, 2018 Planning Application, Findings, Letter of Determination, 2018 Conceptual Plans, Renderings, Appeal, 2019 Case Information, 2019 Application, 2019 Conceptual Plans, and Neighborhood Council Report.
Sherbourne Senior Housing - 48 Assisted Living units and 8 Memory Care units
See below for links to the Case Information, Neighborhood Council Guidelines, Neighborhood Council Board Motion, and Conceptual Plans.
Warner Center Life Plan Community - 566 Independent Living units and 129 Assisted Living/Memory Care units.
See below for links to the Case Information, Application, Findings, Neighborhood Council Review, and Conceptual Plans.
Los Angeles Jewish Home (Reseda) - Phased expansion of existing senior living community
See below for links to the Case Information, Application, 2013 Letter of Determination, Correction Letters, Extension Letter, 2018 Letter of Determination, Modification Letter, and Conceptual Plans.
Holt Ave AL/MC - 62 Assisted Living units and 18 Memory Care units
See below for links to the Case Information, Planning Application, Conceptual Plans, Landscape Plan, and Findings.
Eagle Rock AL MC - 87 Assisted Living units and 28 Memory Care units
See below for links to the Case Information, Planning Application, Conceptual Plans, Landscape Plan, and Findings.
ParkPointe Encino - 66 Assisted Living units and 24 Memory Care units
See below for links to the Case Information, Community Presentation, Planning Application, Conceptual Plans, and Findings.
The Bellwood - 71 Independent Living units, 75 Assisted Living units, and 46 Memory Care units.
See below for links to the Case Information, Planning Application, Findings, Initial Study, and Conceptual Plans.
Belmont Village Senior Living Westwood II - 53 Independent Living units, 77 Assisted Living units, and 46 Memory Care units.
See below for links to the Case Application, Planning Application, Findings, and Conceptual Plans.
Encino Senior Living - 107 Assisted Living units and 16 Memory Care units
See below for links to the Case Information, Community Presentation, Planning Application, Findings, Conceptual Plans, and Determination Letter.
Mar Vista - 65 Assisted Living units and 20 Memory Care units
See below for links to the Case Information, Planning Application, Findings, Community Presentation, Conceptual Plans, Initial Letter of Determination, Appeal, CEQA Notice of Exemption, and Final Determination.
The Watermark at Westwood Village - 226 Eldercare units
See below for links to the Case Information, Letter of Determination, Withdrawal Letter, Landscape Plan, and Renderings.
Welbrook Woodland Hills - 50 Assisted Living units
See below for links to the Case Information, Letters of Determination, Appeal, News Articles, Legal Proceedings, and Conceptual Site Plan.
Geneva Street - 132 Eldercare units
See below for links to the Case Information, Letter of Determination, and Conceptual Site Plan.
Palisades Drive RCFE - 82 Eldercare units
See below for links to the Case Information, Application, Findings, Letter of Determination, Appeal Determination, and Conceptual Plans.
Urban Commons Gramercy - 146 Eldercare units
See below for links to the Case Information, Initial Study, Letter of Determination, and Conceptual Site Plan.
Sherman Oaks Senior Care - 58 Eldercare units
See below for links to the Case Information, Application, Findings, Letter of Determination, and Conceptual Site Plan.
Los Angeles Jewish Home (Beverly) - 100 Eldercare units
See below for links to the Case Information, Application, Findings, Letter of Determination, Conditions of Approval, and Conceptual Site Plan.
Marque at Mission Hills - 91 Assisted Living units and 28 Memory Care units
See below for links to the Case Information, Environmental Clearance, Letter of Determination, and Conceptual Site Plan.
Van Nuys Assisted Living - 77 Assisted Living units and 23 Memory Care units
See below for links to the Planning Application, Findings, Conceptual Plans, and Determination Letter.
Wheeler Eldercare - 153 Eldercare units
See below for links to the Case Information, Determination Letter, Neighborhood Council Minutes, and Conceptual Site Plan.
Eldercare Projects - Withdrawn or Denied
1) 6616 Reseda Blvd Reseda
2) 6530 Winnetka Woodland Hills
3) 17531 Parthenia Northridge
4) 18731 Calvert Tarzana
5) 20460 Sherman Way Winnetka
6) 23200 Sherman Way Woodland Hills
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