We — tenants, homeowners, families, elders, students, teachers, and school administrators of Little Armenia — oppose the proposed demolition of the existing historic two-story duplex at 1517 N Mariposa Ave and the construction of a five-story, 32-unit "box" apartment building in its place.

This proposed project would cause irreparable harm to our neighborhood's character, safety, and quality of life. We urge the property owner to reconsider this plan and return to his original, more community-minded proposal — a modest addition to the current structure that adds a few units without demolishing the building or disrupting the fabric of our block.

❌ WHY WE OPPOSE THIS PROJECT ❌


1) PARKING AND TRAFFIC CONCERNS: The plan includes no parking whatsoever for 32 units. Imagine 30+ new cars that need spots on Mariposa Ave and the surrounding streets! Our street already struggles with parking shortages, and there is daily traffic from the Pilibos Armenian school. This building will worsen an already-bad situation for families, teachers, and long-time residents alike.

2) SAFETY RISKS: Increased traffic and fewer parking options around the school raise concerns for child safety during daily pick-up and drop-off times.

3) NOISE AND HEALTH IMPACTS: Demolishing the existing structure and constructing a five-story building will involve months — if not years — of noise, dust, and exposure to toxic materials. This will affect the health and peace of nearby residents, especially the elders at the Alexandria Care Center and children at Pilibos and Mesrop Mashtots Danielyan Family Child Care.

4) LOSS OF NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER: The existing building is consistent in height and style with our historic residential block. The proposed five-story structure is out of scale and design with the rest of the neighborhood. It would set a damaging precedent for future development.

5) MISUSE OF "AFFORDABLE HOUSING" POLICY: This development is being pushed through using Mayor Bass' Executive Directive 1, which often acts as a loophole to bypass community input, design standards, and parking requirements. Under ED1, 92% of so-called "affordable housing" units are "micro-units" — studios or 1-bedrooms of ~250 sq ft, priced to be around ~$1,800. This means that the average rental price-per-square-foot is actually many times MORE than the current average for our neighborhood. These kinds of buildings can only serve individuals, not families — and they will need to earn $75,000/year, much more than the average working-class income. Our community deserves real affordable housing for working-class families, not developer loopholes.

6) DECREASE PROPERTY VALUES FOR HOMEOWNERS AND SMALL LANDLORDS: The proposed development’s size, lack of parking, and sterile design would undermine the overall appeal of the neighborhood, potentially reducing property values and deterring renters from living here. It will be especially difficult to rent out nearby apartments during the years of construction. Homeowners and small landlords who have worked hard to maintain their properties stand to lose from this drastic, disruptive, and out-of-scale change.



7) THERE IS ANOTHER OPTION THAT WORKS FOR EVERYONE! According to the property owner's family, the owner had previously planned to expand the current structure by adding a few units at the back. This approach would preserve the neighborhood’s character and be far less environmentally harmful and disruptive while still providing additional housing.



We call on the property owner to abandon the five-story redevelopment plan and pursue a smaller-scale, community-sensitive expansion instead. Moving forward with the current proposal will strain community relations and diminish the safety and goodwill that makes our neighborhood a beautiful place to live, work, and learn.



By signing below, we affirm our strong opposition to this project as currently proposed and our desire to preserve the livability, safety, and character of our neighborhood.