City officials Tuesday broke ground on a $5 million project that aims to improve streets surrounding the Elden Elms affordable housing development in the Pico-Union neighborhood.
Funded by the California Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities program, the project is expected to upgrade 33 crosswalks, add six curb extensions, 11 new street lights, seven ADA-compliant access ramps, and repair more than 9,000 linear feet of sidewalks. It will also add 48 trees to one of LA’s most densely populated neighborhoods, according to the office of City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez, who represents the area.
“This is what real investment looks like,” Hernandez said in a statement. “In a city where it can take up to seven years to fix a sidewalk and where entire neighborhoods have been waiting decades for basic infrastructure, bringing five million dollars into Pico Union for safety and accessibility is a big deal.”
“Safe streets aren’t a luxury — they’re a necessity, especially for working-class communities,” Hernandez added.
The project is expected to improve the route for families and students attending nearby Leo Politi Elementary School, and for residents who walk, bike and access local buses.
“For our students and families at Leo Politi Elementary School, safe streets are something our kids rely on every single day to get to school and back home,” Erika Moreno, principal of the school, said in a statement.
The city’s Department of Transportation, Bureau of Engineering and Board of Public Works are making the project possible.
“This project won’t just support the residents of Elden Elms, but the entire community,” LADOT General Manager Laura Rubio-Cornejo said in a statement. “The mobility improvements are designed to ensure that streets are safe, accessible and supportive of people’s needs.”
Construction is now underway, and is expected to be complete by spring 2026.
Elden Elms, located at 1255 S. Elden Ave., is an affordable housing complex, providing a total of 93 units, of which 15 units are reserved for people previously experiencing homelessness and another 34 units are reserved for people with disabilities. The apartment building was developed by the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation and opened in March 2021, according to LA’s Housing Department.