The City of Santa Monica was awarded a $50 million grant from the state’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities Program, funded through the Cap-and-Trade program for EAH Housing’s “4th Street Project” in the city’s downtown.
The 4th Street project is a proposed mixed-use, mixed-income development at 1318 4th Street, just one block from the popular Third Street Promenade in Downtown Santa Monica. The development is being led by EAH Housing on a site previously used as a city parking structure.
Under plans approved by the city, the building will rise six stories and include 122 residential apartments—a mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units. Thirty-plus-percent to 80-percent of the area median income (AMI) households will qualify; among those, 50 units will be reserved as permanent supportive housing for individuals who are unhoused or at risk of homelessness.
The development aims to serve a variety of residents: low-income families, individuals working or living in Santa Monica, and people previously experiencing homelessness. EAH Housing plans to staff the building with at least three full-time services coordinators to provide supportive services, offer community events, and foster a stable, cohesive resident community. The vision calls for not just housing, but a true community.
At street level, the building will feature a substantial commercial component: roughly 19,600 square feet of retail space intended to bring daytime and evening activity to 4th Street. Additionally, there will be about 1,630 square feet allocated for community benefit — potentially for a nonprofit, local police services, or another public use. Subterranean parking will support both residents and retail activity.
The 4th Street project received formal approval from the Santa Monica City Council in 2024, which authorized a Ground Lease and Development & Disposition Agreement to move forward. The Council and EAH Housing expect construction to begin in winter 2027, with completion targeted by 2029.
Once built, this development will add substantial affordable and supportive housing capacity to Santa Monica — pairing residential units with retail and community space in a walkable, transit-accessible Downtown location. If successful, it will contribute to the city’s broader strategy to address homelessness, increase housing supply, and support mixed-income, sustainable neighborhoods.
For more on the 4th Street Project, visit the project webpage, read this report to the city’s architectural review board, or read previous coverage at Next.
Author
About The Author
