Recap with Abode Communities (5/4/26) and what you can do next!

In this update:

• Recap of meeting & build amendment
• Attend the public meeting on 5/12 where supervisors will vote. Details here
• Drafted letter to copy/paste and email to LA county supervisors - VOLUME MATTERS - SEND IT TODAY!

The Crescenta Valley Town Council hosted a town hall meeting to address a proposed affordable housing development by Abode Communities at the corner of Foothill and Briggs. Abode representatives presented a revised plan featuring 66 units (reduced from 80) and 70 parking spaces, intended to serve 25 transition-aged youth (TAY) and 40 families. While Abode highlighted their mission of providing service-enhanced housing for the "missing middle," the meeting was characterized by intense community opposition. Residents and council members expressed deep-seated fears regarding fire safety, noting that the site sits at a critical "bottleneck" evacuation route for thousands of homes in an extreme fire hazard zone. The council ultimately voted to send formal letters of concern to the LA County Board of Supervisors and state legislators in Sacramento, citing the project's incompatibility with local safety needs and the community’s unique geographical risks.

Top 10 Raised Points

• Extreme Fire & Evacuation Risk: The project is located in a "Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone" at a single-point evacuation throat for the Briggs Terrace canyon; residents fear a "deadly choke point" during wildfires.
• Inadequate Traffic Study: The developer’s traffic study was criticized for being conducted during low-traffic periods (possibly spring break) and failing to account for school-related congestion.
• Parking Shortfall: While the plan offers 70 spots for 66 units, residents argue this is insufficient for families and TAY residents, leading to dangerous overflow parking on residential streets.
• Impact on Local Schools: Concerns were raised regarding the capacity of nearby schools, such as Mountain Avenue Elementary and Rosemont Middle School, to absorb an influx of new students.
• TAY Population Safety: Residents questioned the lack of 24-hour on-site supervision for the transition-aged youth and expressed worries about potential crime and substance abuse.
• Infrastructure Limitations: Concerns that local utilities—including water pressure for fire suppression and the electrical grid—are already overtaxed and unable to support high-density builds.
• Loss of Local Zoning Control: Frustration centered on state "ministerial" mandates and density bonus laws that allow developers to bypass local building standards and public hearings.
• Architectural Incompatibility: The "monstrosity" of the three- and four-story building was described as out of character with the area's craftsman style and residential scale.
• Lack of Public Transit: Despite being classified as "affordable," the area lacks robust public transportation, which residents argue will force more cars onto the road.

Alternative Site Selection: Many suggested that the $6.8 million in funding would be better spent in urban areas with better transit or on vacant lots like the former Kmart in Tujunga.
 
Here’s what you can do next:

1. Formal Correspondence: Send below draft and send a letter to Supervisor Kathryn Barger and the entire LA County Board of Supervisors articulating the meeting's sentiments and recommending plan changes.
2. State-Level Advocacy: Send a formal letter to Sacramento (State Senate and Assembly) regarding the dangerous impact of state housing mandates on high-fire-risk communities.
3. Public Mobilization: Encourage residents to attend the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, May 12th, at 9:30 a.m. at Kenneth Hahn Building at 500 West Temple Street, Ste 381B. Agenda
4. Petition Support: Continue gathering signatures.

Drafted Letter to District Offices & State Representatives (COPY/PASTE)

To: firstdistrict@bos.lacounty.gov, HollyJMitchell@bos.lacounty.gov, thirddistrict@bos.lacounty.gov, FourthDistrict@bos.lacounty.gov, kathryn@bos.lacounty.gov

Subject: URGENT: Life Safety and Infrastructure Concerns Regarding Briggs Foothill Development in La Crescenta

To the LA County Board of Supervisors,

We are writing as residents of La Crescenta to express our profound opposition to the proposed affordable housing project at Foothill and Briggs.

While we recognize the state’s housing crisis, the application of "one-size-fits-all" ministerial mandates to this specific location is a matter of life and death. This parcel sits in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and serves as the sole evacuation artery for thousands of residents in the Briggs Terrace canyon. The proposed 66-unit density will create an insurmountable choke point during a wildfire, a reality confirmed by residents who barely escaped previous fires.

Furthermore, the project relies on State Density Bonus laws to bypass local zoning, ignoring the fact that our infrastructure, from water pressure to school capacity, is already at a breaking point. We request an immediate stay on funding and approvals until a comprehensive, independent safety and evacuation study is conducted.

Public safety must not be sacrificed for state development mandates. We urge you to protect the residents you represent by reconsidering the appropriateness of high-density builds in extreme fire-threatened canyons and deny the funding until proper safety assessments have been completed.

Sincerely,
Concerned Residents (insert name here)