Hollywood Gets Some New Affordable Housing For Artists. Here’s Why It Took 7 Years To Build

The Los Angeles economy relies on creative workers. But the city’s pricey housing doesn’t make it easy for them to stay here. Now, a new apartment building in Hollywood is giving low-income artists a stable place to call home.

The 152-unit Hollywood Arts Collective — just off Hollywood Boulevard and a few blocks away from the storied industry hangout Musso & Frank Grill — had its grand opening on Wednesday. All of the apartments are now occupied by artists earning below 80% of the area’s median income.

Irene Lim, a visual artist who has worked for Nickelodeon, was living with her parents in Riverside County before she moved into the new building shortly after construction ended in 2023.

“Being able to network out there is a lot less frequent than it is out here,” Lim said. “I've already met quite a few people here. They've given me great opportunities. I'm actually doing voice acting now. And it's just something that's so different from what I'm used to.”

Plan dates back to 2010

The project was spearheaded by the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly known as the Actors Fund), a nonprofit that helps struggling arts professionals. Western region director Keith McNutt said keeping arts workers from being pushed out of the city is vital to L.A.’s creative economy.

“There are so many ways that creative people enrich our lives,” McNutt said. “And I think most of us don't stop to think how challenging that life is economically.”

McNutt said his organization’s vision to build low-income housing specifically for L.A. artists dates back to 2010. Original plans for downtown L.A. fell apart. But the idea came back to life in 2016, when the city of L.A. agreed to lease a city-owned Hollywood parking lot for $1 per year.

With the land secured, the development team went about securing financing from various city, state and federal sources — a process that took years.

Making the math work

Courtney DeBeikes, a senior project manager with the developer Thomas Safran and Associates, said getting funding lined up for these types of projects can be a slow, frustrating process.

“Especially when the units we build are just a drop in the bucket for helping solve the homeless issue and just general affordability issue in Los Angeles,” DeBeikes said. “The most rewarding part is to see the residents move in and appreciate it and get to start to thrive.”

Irene Lim stands in the courtyard of the Hollywood Arts Collective, an affordable apartment building where she lives with other artists.

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David Wagner/LAist

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Securing city permits took about a year. DeBeikes said the housing probably would have been built quicker if Mayor Karen Bass’ Executive Directive One, which aims to approve and permit 100% affordable housing projects within about two months, had been in place at the time.

“We've seen the ED1 process on other projects really help,” DeBeikes said.

Under state law, L.A. must plan for about 185,000 new low-income homes by 2029. Even with ED1 encouraging developers to submit plans for thousands of new apartments and projects like the Hollywood Arts Collective beginning to open their doors, the city is not on track to meet that target.

But for renters who manage to land a spot in one of these buildings, the savings can be substantial. Irene Lim said she pays about $1,300 for her one-bedroom apartment at the Hollywood Arts Collective.

“I’m just super lucky to be here,” Lim said.

Do they have openings?

The wait list for units is currently closed. The property is currently only accepting applications for accessible units.

• Hollywood Arts Collective |1630 Schrader Boulevard
  Phone: (424) 551-2424 and TTY: (800) 855-7100

Note from their news release: "Preference is provided for artists, defined as someone who is regularly engaged in an artistic, creative, or cultural activity or practice and pursues such practice on a professional basis."