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Culver City to turn former gun store into affordable housing for the community
The former Martin B. Retting gun store stands less than 1,000 feet from La Ballona Elementary.
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Gillian Moran Perez
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LAist
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Topline:
The Culver City Council recently voted to turn the former Martin B. Retting gun store on Washington Boulevard into affordable housing. It’s the end result of community organizing that started a couple of years ago to prevent another gun store from moving in next to an elementary school.
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Culver City to turn former gun store into affordable housing for the community
The backstory: In 2023, the Culver City Council voted to buy the store after a group of parents stepped in. The space is less than 1,000 feet from La Ballona Elementary School. It’s also close to a mosque, a senior living facility and Teffelson Park.
After the council bought the property, the city asked for the public to submit ideas on what to do with it. Popular options included turning the space into affordable housing and an art studio/school. The council then directed staff to put out a request for project proposals that would include housing and a community space.
Why now: The council voted Jan. 26 in favor of the West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation’s proposal, which is a 67-unit affordable housing complex with a preference for local teachers and a ground-level art center.
Reaction from the community: Megan Oddsen and Melody Hansen are members of Culver 878, who originally championed the idea for the city to buy the gun store. In a statement, the group said: “We're really just as happy today seeing what the council has voted to do with the property as we were on the day they voted to purchase it. It's no longer a gun store and we remain most thankful for that.”
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Oddsen added: “ I'm just really grateful that we have a city council that is moved by activism and can come together on a lot of the most important issues right now.”
Culver City Councilmember Bubba Fish points to Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent remarks at a congressional hearing calling out the crime rates in the city and says that in a way, those remarks ignited a celebration of the city among community members.
“ What people feel here, which is a real sense of community and a sense of safety, and it is in no small part because of the planning decisions that we make,” Fish said. “ This council has prioritized affordable housing above a lot of other things that we could be spending our money on. And that's because we recognize these are the things that truly make us safe.”
What’s next: 2029 is the target for project completion.
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