Wakeland outlines The Willows permanent supportive housing; neighbors press for more notice

Bellflower — Wakeland Housing Development Corporation told the City Council on Feb. 9 that The Willows, a proposed permanent supportive housing development at 15804 Lakewood Boulevard, will offer mostly one‑bedroom apartments, on‑site intensive case management provided by Mercy House and a mix of secure building features intended to fit with the neighborhood.

Rebecca Louie, CEO of Wakeland Housing Development Corporation, said the project is meant to be long‑term housing, not a shelter. “This is not a shelter, a treatment facility, or a drop‑in center. This is housing,” Louie said, describing units as leased, long‑term apartments with controlled entry and on‑site services.

Nut graf: The presentation was informational only — staff said the project was ministerially approved under state law in January — but the meeting drew heightened attention from nearby residents who said they were not adequately notified and raised questions about parking, background checks, case‑manager capacity and site suitability.

Louie walked the council through two design directions the developer has studied: a lighter, white façade broken into smaller massing to reduce perceived bulk, and a refined blue option with stepped façades and a central open‑air courtyard. She said security features would include controlled access with photo verification at entry points and on‑site staffing; on‑site services would assign each resident a case manager to connect them with benefits, medical care, job supports and community programs.

Council and residents pressed for operational details. Planning staff clarified that The Willows received ministerial approval — meaning the application met objective standards and did not require discretionary council review — and that the next technical steps are building‑permit plan checks and fire and structural reviews before construction. “It was approved just last month,” the planning representative said, adding that building plans and code compliance will be reviewed at the plan‑check stage.

Several residents asked how tenants would be selected and whether people from outside Bellflower would be placed at the site. Louie said the countyoordinated entry system will match eligible candidates to the property and that Wakeland conducts background checks, interviews and internal screening before move‑in.

Public comments split between cautious support and opposition. Some speakers urged compassion and emphasized the need for permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness; others said the city id not notify nearby homeowners adequately and expressed concerns about traffic, child‑care proximity and property values. One resident asked, “Where in the process will mental health treatment, drug and alcohol rehabilitation occur? Are there sobriety requirements?” Louie and staff responded that the site is housing with on‑site supportive services and not a treatment facility, and that case plans are individualized.

Mayor Sonny Arzante Inez and other council members emphasized the broader housing context, noting the state’s regional housing needs allocation and Bellflowerfforts to identify sites to meet required unit targets. City staff and the mayor urged residents who want more detail to contact Wakeland and Mercy House and to use the developerontact resources that were provided.

Next steps: staff said no formal council action was required at the meeting because the approval occurred at the staff (ministerial) level; Wakeland said it was finalizing funding and hoped to begin construction in 2026 with a goal of move‑ins in 2028. Council members and staff invited further neighborhood meetings and follow‑up information from the developer.