LA Metro’s Santa Monica Vermont Apartments—More than Just Homes
5/6/2026
Located adjacent to the B Line’s Vermont/Santa Monica station, a housing development for low-income households provides a lifeline for residents. The transit-oriented affordable housing is part of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (LA Metro’s) joint development plan to add 10,000 homes by 2031, half of which will be income-restricted.
The LA housing market is one of the most unaffordable in the United States, and land around transit is incredibly valuable. Through joint development, LA Metro is constructing housing on land that it owns, which may have been set aside to use during construction and becomes available after projects are completed. As described in a video on its efforts, it’s an opportunity to put affordable housing where it belongs—providing residents who rely on public transit within close access.
“At a time when the demand for affordable housing continues to outpace supply, investments like this are essential to keeping our communities stable and thriving. By situating these homes near transit, we are expanding access to opportunity, improving mobility, and helping residents reduce or even eliminate transportation costs,” said Hilda L. Solis, LA Metro board member and chair of the LA County Board of Supervisors.
The transit agency partnered with nonprofit developer Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) to increase the supply of high-quality housing on LA Metro properties, especially income-restricted apartments. The development includes 185 affordable apartments as well as community space and services, all within close distance to public transportation.
Since 2024, LA Metro has celebrated the opening of three other mixed-used housing developments, one of which sets aside apartments specifically for veterans who are low-income or experiencing homelessness. Stephanie Wiggins, CEO of LA Metro, said, “The Santa Monica Vermont Apartment project is one of Metro’s largest joint development projects to open to date, and it is already changing the lives of hundreds of Angelenos.”