About 40 residents turned out Tuesday, July 28, for the first public forum on Beverly Hills' proposed 62-unit affordable senior housing project at 327–335 S. Robertson Blvd., giving city officials their earliest read on community sentiment toward the $37 million development.

The session, scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the La Cienega Park Community Center Auditorium, drew residents to hear presentations from city staff and developer West Hollywood Community Housing Corporation, according to the Beverly Hills Courier. Logan Phillippo, the city's Real Property Development Manager, is the lead staff contact on the project. As we reported July 27, the meeting was the first opportunity for public input since the council began advancing the project last year.

The meeting was informational. No vote was taken, and no formal City Council hearing date has been scheduled.

What's proposed

The Robertson Sunflower project would rise five stories and 55 feet on city-owned land the Parking Authority acquired in November 2019 for $10.1 million. All 62 units would be restricted to low-income residents ages 55 and older. The city originally bought the site to build a standalone parking structure, but shelved that plan during the pandemic.

On May 19, the City Council directed staff to add three levels of underground public parking — an estimated 82 spaces — to be built and operated at the city's expense, the Beverly Press reported. That parking component alone carries a roughly $10 million price tag, with annual operating costs of $200,000 to $250,000, partially offset by parking revenue.

Funding and deadlines

The total project cost is estimated at $37 million. WHCHC has secured $11.7 million from the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency and $900,000 from the West Side Cities Council of Governments. The developer also plans to pursue $16.2 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits.

Two deadlines loom: a project plan must be complete by May 2027 or the LACAHSA grant is at risk, and the federal tax credit application deadline is September 2026.

Council divided

The project has split the City Council. Mayor Craig Corman cast the lone vote against the original negotiation agreement with WHCHC in November 2025. At the May 19 council meeting, he argued the site "makes no financial sense whatsoever," pointing to a larger nearby property at 419 S. Robertson that he said could be purchased for $6.5 million.

Vice Mayor Mary Wells defended the investment at that same meeting, saying the funding structure allows 62 units to be built "without donating additional money for land."

Residents who spoke at the May 19 session raised concerns about traffic and parking. Beverly Hills resident Rick Grossman told the council the project "sounds like a done deal, and the residents and businesses are forgotten again."

What's next

No formal vote date has been announced. The city's project page includes an online feedback form where residents can submit comments for the public record. Phillippo can be reached at 310-285-1038.