Consultants outline tenant‑led Midtown Park Apartments study; first resident workshop Dec. 9

Fernando Marti, a LAFCO consultant, told the Local Agency Formation Commission that a two‑part study of Midtown Park Apartments will pair tenant‑centered engagement with an architectural and engineering conditions assessment aimed at producing preliminary cost estimates and options for the complex’s long‑term ownership and repairs.

Marti said the project team will run six tenant‑wide workshops, regular check‑ins with the Midtown Park Tenants Association and coordination meetings with LAFCO, the mayor’s office of housing and the property manager. “We’ll come up with a final report, probably in about 6 to 8 months, at the conclusion of the resident engagement process, which will include the residents’ own recommendations for how they want to proceed into the future, as well as the price, cost estimates for a series of different layers of improvements,” Marti said.

The second part of the scope is a non‑invasive site assessment by architects and engineers to identify immediate and long‑term physical needs. Marti identified plumbing and electrical systems, accessibility (the buildings are walk‑ups with no elevators), and limited community facilities as priorities to be studied. The consulting team includes Asian Neighborhood Design and engineering subcontractors to evaluate structural, mechanical, plumbing and electrical conditions.

Commissioner Dean Preston, who has worked with Midtown residents for years, praised the tenant‑centered approach and urged LAFCO and city staff to consider funding options for repairs. “We have some opportunities to really prioritize the plan that comes out of this work,” Preston said, noting a $20 million set‑aside in the 2022 budget for emergency repairs as one potential source.

Marti announced the first public meeting for residents at Gateway High School on Saturday, Dec. 9, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with lunch provided. He said the final consultant report is expected in six to eight months and will present multiple scenarios — including nonprofit rental, continued mayor’s office ownership, limited‑equity cooperative models and other paths — along with cost estimates.

No public commenters attended or called in on this agenda item, and LAFCO took no formal action on the Midtown Park study at the meeting. The consultant and commissioners said they would return with more detailed recommendations after the resident engagement and the site assessment.