Pasadena Housing Boom: Over 3,100 Units in Pipeline

More than 3,100 new housing units submitted over the past five years are currently in various stages of development across Pasadena, with over 300 designated as affordable housing, including five fully affordable developments, City officials reported Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at an Economic Development and Technology Committee meeting.

A City planning official presented data showing 62 multifamily projects are moving through the City’s development pipeline, with the majority concentrated in Pasadena’s Central District but significant development also occurring in East Colorado and East Pasadena.

The Central District accounts for approximately 55% of the units and 40% of the projects, with an average project size of 65 units. Outside the central area, developments tend to be smaller, with multifamily zones averaging 23 units per project while still comprising 17% of all planned units citywide.

The developments are spread across three phases: 15 projects with over 500 units in preliminary planning, 26 projects totaling nearly 1,700 units in design review, and 21 projects comprising 865 units either under construction or in building plan check.

While affordability levels aren’t available for projects still in design review, final numbers are typically determined at the building permit stage. The current count of over 300 affordable units could increase as more projects advance through the approval process.

Notable projects highlighted include:

• A senior housing development across from City Hall
• A six-story, 90-unit project on Los Robles Avenue
• An 84-unit rental development behind the Castle Green, including 14 affordable units
• A 263-unit Playhouse District project featuring 41 affordable units
• A 233-unit development at the Panda Inn site with 21 affordable units

The developments include a mix of rental apartments, condominiums, and townhouses, though many developers don’t determine final ownership status until the building permit phase. Higher-density projects in the Central District typically become rental properties, though some developments initially planned as condominiums may operate as rentals.

Some areas of the City, including North Lincoln and Lincoln Avenue, currently have no projects in development. The presentation focused exclusively on developments of three or more units and did not include single-family homes, duplexes, or accessory dwelling units.