823 Cleveland Apartments

823 Cleveland Apartments is Little Tokyo Service Center’s newest affordable shared housing project. This newly constructed building will become home to 53 low income households in the heart of Los Angeles Chinatown.

About the Project

On November 15, 2023, LTSC held a groundbreaking ceremony for a brand-new, affordable shared housing project at 823 Cleveland Street in Chinatown, Los Angeles. It has been 20 years since LTSC built new housing in Chinatown (Cesar Chavez Gardens) and the 823 Cleveland Street project is a big step forward in our mission to create inclusive living opportunities for low-income communities in LA.

While Cesar Chavez Gardens is a traditional affordable housing project, 823 Cleveland is an innovative pilot model of shared housing. The shared housing model will feature 9 suites of 5 to 6 bedrooms with private bathrooms and access to a shared kitchen and living area, totaling 53 units of housing. There will be units set aside for permanent supportive housing for youth at risk of homelessness.

Notably this 100% affordable project does not rely on government funds, but instead will tap into private funding from organizations that are committed to solving the affordable housing crisis in Los Angeles. LTSC is proud to be one of the pioneering organizations to adopt this innovative pilot model. LTSC’s Real Estate Director Debbie Chen said, “We hope this development will be the first of many to be built with these novel financing methods and we thank our funders for their vision and confidence in this pilot. We’re all about community-driven development, and we’re working closely with several Chinatown organizations to ensure the success of this project.” We hope to house youth who are unhoused or at risk of homelessness, such as community college students, as well as seniors and other low-income residents at risk of displacement in Chinatown.

By introducing affordable, non-market rate co-living, the project aims to innovate creative ways to build affordable housing in the context of existing neighborhoods. This project will transform a vacant lot into a community asset that will provide affordable housing to those most in need. LTSC continues to prioritize community-driven development through relationships with several Chinatown organizations to ensure the project’s success.

Thank you to our funding partners: United Way of Greater Los Angeles, Genesis LA, California Community Foundation and Apple.

Project Highlights:

Acquired in 2023; Projected completion slated in 2025
Unit Mix: 53 private rooms with bathrooms, arranged into 9 suites with shared kitchen and living spaces
Affordability and Targeting: Project will be 100% affordable for low income individuals with units set aside for transition age youth who are unhoused or at risk of becoming unhoused
Amenities include an on-site manager unit, office space for tenant services, and rooftop recreation areas

I see LTSC as setting the gold standard for what neighborhood-based development could look like. We’re so pleased that we could be a partner in this development.

Maria Cabildo, Director of Housing & Economic Opportunity at California Community Foundation

The mightiness of Little Tokyo Service Center and what you all do, rooted in community and rooted in equity and creativity, in a really hard space of affordable housing, it lifts me up.

Jenna Hornstock, Deputy Mayor of Housing

We invest in economic development, affordable housing, and nonprofit community organizations, and when you think about it, those are really the building blocks of a neighborhood. And who better to do that with than Little Tokyo `{`Service Center`}` who I think is the preeminent neighborhood builder in the social sphere here in Los Angeles.

Tom DeSimone, President & CEO of Genesis LA

`{`Little Tokyo Service Center’s`}` dedication to preserving and strengthening unique communities like the one here in Chinatown is critical to ensuring that we don’t leave anybody behind as we tackle our housing and homelessness crisis. The urgency of those crises demand innovative solutions and that’s exactly what we’re here to celebrate today. This project is so incredibly important…and your leadership is unmatched right now. I hope that 823 Cleveland Apartments can be a model for how we approach affordable housing developed here in LA.