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LAUSD Board Will Vote on Woodland Hills Housing

The district will decide on an exclusive development deal for 390 teacher housing units next Tuesday.

Updated on Oct. 3, 2026 in Apartments

Bold vector editorial illustration showing a stylized modern residential building block set among greenery, representing proposed teacher housing in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Unified School District board will vote next Tuesday on an exclusive development agreement for 390 teacher housing units in Woodland Hills. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should school districts prioritize developing affordable housing for their employees on unused district-owned land?

The Los Angeles Unified School District board is scheduled to vote next Tuesday on entering exclusive negotiations for a housing project on a vacant Woodland Hills site. The proposal aims to add 390 rental units for district employees on the 6.56-acre property.

Why it matters

High local housing costs present significant challenges for the district when attempting to recruit and retain essential staff. Developing these units on district property could help mitigate these barriers without requiring district capital contributions.

The proposed development at 5717 N. Rudnick Ave. targets households earning 30% to 120% of the area median income. The project agreement includes $150,000 in predevelopment ground-lease deposits and $250,000 in projected annual rent once operational.

The players

LAUSD

The Los Angeles Unified School District is the second-largest public school district in the United States and manages property assets across the city.

Affirmed Housing Group

This organization specializes in the development of affordable housing communities throughout California.

HA Builders Group

This firm partners on construction projects involving large-scale residential and mixed-use developments.

The details

The development plan for the site includes 550 parking spaces, a fitness center, community rooms, and walking paths to support the 390 rental units. Nearby residents have raised concerns during community meetings regarding the potential for increased neighborhood density and traffic in the Woodland Hills area.

Timeline

  1. The site was originally built as Collins Street Elementary School in 1960.

  2. The school closed permanently in the early 1980s.

  3. The district completed its first affordable housing project in 2012.

  4. Community meetings regarding the current proposal were held in summer 2025.

  5. The board is set to vote on the developer selection next Tuesday.

Culture Shift

This project continues the trend of utilizing vacant public land to address the regional housing crisis through the LAUSD affordable housing initiative established in 2012. By focusing on employee housing, the district marks a departure from traditional land usage to prioritize workforce retention.

The proposed 390-unit development aims to provide affordable rental options for school district staff within the Woodland Hills neighborhood. Residents near 5717 N. Rudnick Ave. should prepare for potential adjustments to local traffic flow and density if the project moves forward.

The takeaway

Large public land holdings offer a unique pathway to address workforce housing needs in high-cost cities like Los Angeles. Readers should note that significant infrastructure projects often require multiple years of predevelopment before construction begins.

Further reading

For more on residential development in the city, visit Los Angeles Apartments.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily News.

Live Poll

Should school districts prioritize developing affordable housing for their employees on unused district-owned land?