---

 [ NEIGHBORHOOD ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=327)

#  Demolishing Housing for Hotels: LA City Planning Approves Hotel Involving Demo of 40 RSO Units. Again!

Written by Casey Maddren.

 ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Feb-24/012c.jpg)

February 08 2024

<a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)

 [Comments](#disqus_thread)

LA SITE PLANNING - The politicians at LA City Hall are constantly telling us we’re in the middle of a housing crisis, but the folks at LA City Planning don’t seem to have gotten the message. How else can you explain the department’s approval late last year of a hotel project that involves the demolition of 40 RSO units at 1719 Whitley in Hollywood? While the decision to demo housing for hotel rooms would be troubling under ordinary circumstances, the history of this particular project makes City Planning’s approval hard to believe.

This project was already challenged in court, and the City lost. Apparently unable to accept the idea that these 40 RSO units still remain standing, City Planning has started the process all over again.

This 10-story hotel was originally approved in 2019. At that time, United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles (UN4LA) found it hard to believe that the City was ready to allow the demolition of 40 rent-stabilized units to make way for a hotel. UN4LA appealed the determination. The City denied the appeal. In 2020, UN4LA filed a lawsuit to overturn the City's approval of the project. In 2022, the courts granted UN4LA’s petition, and ordered the City to revoke approval of the project. The City appealed the decision, but in June 2023 the appellate court upheld the ruling. UN4LA thought the matter had been settled.

![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Feb-24/012l.jpg)

Unbelievably, after all of this, on December 20 LA City Planning published a new [determination letter](https://planning.lacity.gov/pdiscaseinfo/document/MTE5ODQ0/fe3b456d-e5a5-4f0e-9fa7-879f1ff43502/pdd) essentially approving the same project all over again.

How this is possible?! After all the rhetoric about keeping people housed and preventing displacement, how can City Planning throw away 40 RSO units to make way for a hotel? How can City Hall credibly claim that they’re trying to provide housing accessible to low-income families when approvals like this demonstrate that City Planning has no commitment to preserving existing housing stock?

Unwilling to let the City of LA get away with this shameful act, UN4LA has filed an appeal. The date for the hearing has not yet been set.

*(Casey Maddren is president of United Neighborhoods for Los Angeles (UN4LA \[www.un4la.com\]) and a CityWatch contributor.)*

 [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)")

 ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png)

## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays &amp; Thursdays

 Name

 [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2")

 ---

##  Featured CityWatch Stories

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/34/065h-34e1b43b.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33212:reminder-to-the-red-states-turnabout-is-fair-play&catid=395)

### [Reminder to the Red States, Turnabout is Fair Play](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33212:reminder-to-the-red-states-turnabout-is-fair-play&catid=395)

GELFAND’S WORLD - Indiana has been pounded by rains that resulted in widespread flooding. While the rain was still comi…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/d8/066m-d8f0fac6.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33229:democrats-finally-tell-iowa-and-new-hampshire-you-dont-go-first-anymore&catid=395)

### [Democrats Finally Tell Iowa and New Hampshire: You Don’t Go First Anymore](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33229:democrats-finally-tell-iowa-and-new-hampshire-you-dont-go-first-anymore&catid=395)

GELFAND’S WORLD - Earlier in the week, the Democratic National Committee did something good. Mind you it wasn’t great…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/d0/065o-d02f23ac.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33213:californias-empty-classrooms-are-a-warning-sacramento-cant-ignore&catid=378)

### [California’s Empty Classrooms Are a Warning Sacramento Can’t Ignore](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33213:californias-empty-classrooms-are-a-warning-sacramento-cant-ignore&catid=378)

A STUDENT'S VIEW - California is spending more on public education, yet classrooms are emptying, campuses are closing…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/da/066j-daf22e28.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33231:a-prisoner-a-peacemaker-and-israels-defining-choice&catid=375)

### [A Prisoner, A Peacemaker, and Israel’s Defining Choice](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33231:a-prisoner-a-peacemaker-and-israels-defining-choice&catid=375)

P.O.V - Marwan Barghouti remains one of the most consequential—and controversial—figures in the Israeli-Palestinian con…

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/df/065q-dfb89383.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33224:john-mckinney-on-what-separates-the-city-attorney-candidates&catid=401)

### [John McKinney on What Separates the City Attorney Candidates](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33224:john-mckinney-on-what-separates-the-city-attorney-candidates&catid=401)

INTERVIEW - Voters will have a clear and defining contrast in the goals and objectives of the remaining general electio…

---

##  [ NEIGHBORHOOD ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=327)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/066a.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33232:venice-residents-demand-action-on-troubled-supportive-housing&catid=327)### [Venice Residents Demand Action on Troubled Supportive Housing](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33232:venice-residents-demand-action-on-troubled-supportive-housing&catid=327)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/064m.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33194:how-long-does-it-take-to-resolve-a-car-accident-case&catid=327)### [How Long Does It Take to Resolve a Car Accident Case?](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33194:how-long-does-it-take-to-resolve-a-car-accident-case&catid=327)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/063h.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33172:the-john-erickson-interview-a-practical-progressive-for-ca-24&catid=327)### [The John Erickson Interview: A Practical Progressive for District 24](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33172:the-john-erickson-interview-a-practical-progressive-for-ca-24&catid=327)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/July-2026/060l.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33132:venice-homelessness-committee-recommends-vacancy-tax-to-generate-additional-revenue-for-unhoused-solutions&catid=327)### [Venice Homelessness Committee Recommends Vacancy Tax To Generate Additional Revenue For Unhoused Solutions. ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33132:venice-homelessness-committee-recommends-vacancy-tax-to-generate-additional-revenue-for-unhoused-solutions&catid=327)

 [ ![](https://mail.citywatchla.com/images/stories/July-2026/059k.jpg) ](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33108:when-burbank-cant-tell-you-what-it-spent-that-isnt-preservation-its-a-blank-check&catid=327)### [When Burbank Can’t Tell You What It Spent, That Isn’t Preservation — It’s A Blank Check](https://mail.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33108:when-burbank-cant-tell-you-what-it-spent-that-isnt-preservation-its-a-blank-check&catid=327)
<div data-id="1" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-emailform eb-1 eboxContentLocker"
	data-options='{"trigger":"onPageLoad","trigger_selector":"","delay":3000,"early_trigger":true,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":1,"reverse_scroll_close":true,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":10000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"slideInDown","animation_close":"fadeOutDown","animation_duration":400,"disable_page_scroll":true,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #1 - Global Email Signup Form","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog eb-formVer" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog1" aria-label="dialog1">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<form action="https://citywatchla.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=34d69f33624fd058ee9b56516&amp;id=4bfa422f51&amp;f_id=00d6c2e1f0" class="eb" method="post" id="mcform-1" name="mcform-1" target="_blank">
			<div class="eb-form-header"><p><img src="/images/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png" alt="be a city watcher" width="350" height="97" loading="lazy" data-path="local-images:/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png"></p>
<p>Sign up to receive our special e-news blasts on Monday and Thursday evenings!</p></div>
	
					<div class="eb-field-row">

			
			
			
			<input class="eb-input" type="email" name="EMAIL"  placeholder="Email address"  id="EMAIL" value="" required>

			
		</div>
										
	<div class="eb-footer">
    	<button class="eb-btn" type="submit" name="subscribe" style="background-color:rgba(93, 183, 93, 1);color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)">
    		Sign up    	</button>
    </div>
</form>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>
<div data-id="3" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-yesno eb-3 "
	data-options='{"trigger":"onScrollDepth","trigger_selector":"","delay":0,"early_trigger":false,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":2,"reverse_scroll_close":false,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":1000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"fadeInUp","animation_close":"fadeOut","animation_duration":300,"disable_page_scroll":false,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #3 - Yes \/ No Donation Popup Box","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog " role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog3" aria-label="dialog3">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<div class="ebox-yes-no">
	<div class="ebox-yn-text">
		
		
		<div class="ebox-yn-headline" style="font-size:22px;color:#888888">
			<p>If you only give once a month, would you consider giving to CityWatch?</p>
<p>Your support fuels our mission to promote and facilitate civic engagement and neighborhood empowerment, and to hold area government and its politicians accountable.</p>
<p>Would you like to help? Even if you can only give $5, it will make a difference.</p>		</div>
			</div>
	
	<div class="ebox-ys-buttons" style="font-size: 16px;">
		
<a
					data-ebox-prevent="0"
		data-ebox-cmd="close"
				target="_self"
		href="https://www.citywatchla.com/donate"
		rel="noopener"
	
	
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#2ec664;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Yes
	</a>
<a
	
	
			data-ebox-cmd="close"
		href="#"
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#ef2345;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Not Right Now
	</a>	</div>

	</div>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>