Fox Hills Residents Protest High-Density Housing Plans Near Inglewood Border

Housing development concerns are rising in Fox Hills, a Culver City neighborhood that borders Ladera Heights and sits just west of Inglewood, as plans advance for nearly 3,000 new housing units in an area already described as the densest residential section of Culver City.

In a letter to local media, Fox Hills Neighborhood Association President Judi Sherman expressed frustration with Culver City’s handling of development plans that would significantly increase density in an area that already contains 2,600 housing units. The development zone, located on the south side of Slauson Avenue, was designated by the city for 100 units per acre, a zoning decision that Sherman claims has “brought developers flocking to it.”

The concerns raised by Fox Hills residents could be relevant to Inglewood community members, as increased housing density in neighboring areas often impacts traffic patterns, infrastructure demands, and environmental conditions across municipal boundaries. The development area’s proximity to Inglewood means potential spillover effects for nearby Inglewood neighborhoods.

According to Sherman, five developers are currently in various stages of the permitting process, with one project already approved. She criticized Culver City Council members and the Planning Commission for their apparent lack of responsiveness to community concerns, noting that despite a petition signed by over 300 residents nearly two years ago, the issue has not been substantially addressed in City Council meetings.

“The City Council has shown their lack of interest to even discuss the issue in any of the City Council meetings,” Sherman wrote. “The 4 members of City Council, who have been on the dais for the past several years, have only expressed their beliefs in equitable distribution of the 3341 units the city must build by 2029 or have spoken of their concern about it. Sadly, it has only been lip service.”

Sherman also criticized what she described as a lack of transparency in the planning process, claiming that the city failed to directly communicate with Fox Hills residents about the potential impact of the 100 units/acre designation during the General Plan process. While acknowledging that Culver City has hired a consultant to develop a Specific Plan for Fox Hills that includes making the area more walkable with improved connectivity, she contends that the plan presentation to the Planning Commission downplayed the impact of thousands of new vehicles in the area.

Environmental concerns were also raised in the letter, with Sherman questioning how the proposed development aligns with the city’s progressive stance on environmental issues, given the potential increase in pollution from added traffic and density.

As Inglewood continues its own development boom centered around SoFi Stadium and the Intuit Dome, the concerns from neighboring Fox Hills highlight the regional nature of housing development challenges across municipal boundaries in the greater Los Angeles area.