City Commission Approves 100% Affordable Housing Project

The Pasadena Design Commission approved an application for review on a 100% affordable residential development at 274-282 N. Oakland Ave.

Ten percent of the units will be low-income and the remaining 90 percent will go to moderate-income residents.

Because 10% of the units are set aside for low-income residents, the project is allowed a 20% density bonus.

Four non-historic residential units and associated garage structures will be demolished to make way for construction of a six-story, 181-unit single-room occupancy (SRO) building with 25 at-grade parking spaces. 

The micro-units range from 220 to 315 square feet. Micro-apartments began springing up in Tokyo in 2007. Today, such units can also be rented in London and China.

According to apartmentguide.com, a 265 square-foot unit in New York City’s first micro-apartment complex rented for $2,750 in 2015. In the same area three years later, some studio apartments were going for $2,695.

“This project, at 274 N. Oakland Ave., with 100% affordability, is an extraordinary opportunity for our city to increase its affordable housing,” said Pasadena homeless advocate Sonja Berndt.

The City Council approved changes to the city’s zoning code in March 2020 to allow developers to build apartments between 150 and 375 square feet.

“It is good to see 274 N. Oakland up for approval at the March 9 meeting,” wrote Ferne Hayes. “I hope this 100% affordable housing project will be approved without delay. When completed, the city will have 181 more units for low-income residents, possibly to help some of the unsheltered students in our city.”