Construction is now underway for another large affordable housing project in the Warner Center area, this time at 21010 Vanowen Street in Canoga Park.
The site, located near the corner of Vanowen Street and De Soto Avenue, was formerly home to the Canoga Park - West Hills WorkSource Center and the State of California Employment Development Department. For years, the property consisted of a low-profile, single-story office building with a large surface parking lot and served as a familiar location for job seekers looking for employment assistance and career resources.
With construction now underway, that former WorkSource/EDD site is no longer operating in that role and is being transformed into a much larger affordable senior housing development.
The new project from Meta Housing Corp. was entitled in 2025 and calls for a six-story building with 395 senior apartments and parking for only 54 vehicles. The apartments will include a mix of one- and two-bedroom units, all of which will be restricted to low- and moderate-income senior households, with the exception of the required manager units.
The building is being designed by Y&M Architects, with renderings showing a large brick-clad structure with metal accents and vertical patterning that should create a more modern street presence compared to the older office building and surface parking lot that previously occupied the property. The 54 parking spaces are planned as subterranean parking, allowing the project to maximize the number of residential units on the site.
The project is being developed as a joint venture with the Foundation for Affordable Housing and has an estimated budget of approximately $124.7 million, or about $315,797 per unit. Financing reportedly includes a mix of private institutional backing, public subsidies, tax credits, and housing trust funds.
This latest project continues the steady transformation of Canoga Park and the greater Warner Center area from mostly low-rise commercial, industrial, and auto-oriented uses into higher-density housing. The project also fits into the broader vision of the Warner Center 2035 Plan, which has encouraged more residential density, mixed-use activity, and a more urban town-center feel around the west Valley’s major commercial and transit corridors.
The location makes sense for senior housing given its proximity to retail centers, transit corridors, and the growing concentration of housing around Warner Center. It also reflects the larger trend of older commercial and office properties being converted into much-needed housing, especially as affordable housing projects continue to take advantage of streamlined approvals and density bonus incentives.
On this blog, I have previously covered several other Canoga Park and Warner Center development projects, including:
- Affordable Housing Project at 7220 Owensmouth Avenue in Canoga Park Revised from 70 to 120 Units
- Massive Senior Housing High-Rise Project Proposed at 6400 Canoga Avenue in Warner Center
- 12-Unit Apartment Building Planned for Canoga Park’s Owensmouth Avenue
- Another Mixed-Use Project Planned Behind Fry’s Electronics
- BTTF# 23: Redken Laboratories in Canoga Park Later Turned to Ray-Art Studios and a Tribute to Founder Paula Kent Meehan
The Redken/Ray-Art Studios post is another nearby example of how former employment, production, and studio-related sites in the Warner Center/Canoga Park area have eventually given way to large apartment developments, including the former Redken/Ray-Art Studios site at 6625 Variel Avenue that was later replaced by AMLI Warner Center.
Notwithstanding the numerous developments in the past several years, this latest project stands out because of its size and its affordable senior housing focus. At 395 units, it is another significant addition to the housing pipeline in Canoga Park and one more example of how the Warner Center Specific Plan area continues to push denser residential development west of the traditional Valley core.
Meta Housing has also been active elsewhere in Warner Center, including a two-phase project at 21300 Oxnard Street and a separate affordable housing development along De Soto Avenue. With 21010 Vanowen now moving forward, the company is becoming a major player in the affordable housing side of Warner Center’s ongoing redevelopment.
As construction advances, the former WorkSource Center site will soon take on a very different role. What was once a hub for employment services and job seekers will become a large senior affordable housing community serving nearly 400 households in the heart of Canoga Park.
What do you think of the changes happening in Warner Center and Canoga Park?
You can view more SFV Architecture and R.E. here.
Post a Comment