On August 3, the City of Los Angeles celebrated the opening of Steps on St. Andrews, a 19-unit permanent supportive housing community in the Harvard Heights neighborhood of West Adams, built specifically for veterans who face barriers to VA benefits and housing due to their discharge status.

KMA supported the Los Angeles Housing Department on this transaction, preparing the requisite Section 33433 report analyzing the disposition of the city-owned site through a long-term ground lease to developer Holos Communities. The project was financed with 9% federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits, along with Project-Based Vouchers from the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles.

Rather than demolish the century-old Craftsman house already on the site, the project team preserved its street-facing facade and architectural character — including leaded-glass windows and roofing material salvaged from the original structure — while adding a new three-story residential wing at the rear. The result houses 19 veterans, many of whom had experienced homelessness, in a building designed to blend into its residential surroundings.

Like many affordable housing developments, this one has had a long trajectory — early proposals date back to 2020, City Council approval followed in 2023, and construction wrapped this year. It’s a good reminder of just how much patience, persistence, and creative financing it can take to bring these projects across the finish line!