Affordable Housing or NBA Arena? Calif. Judge Picks NBA

Nov 08, 2019

A California judge rejected a community group’s effort to block the construction of an NBA basketball arena on city-owned land in order to build affordable housing.

According to Curbed L.A., Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy sides with the Los Angeles Clippers, who are seeking to build an arena in Inglewood. In exchange for the use of the city-owned land, the Clippers agreed to give the city of Inglewood a $100 million community benefits package, including $75 million to be used on the creation of up to 400 affordable housing units, a rent relief program and financial assistance for first-time homebuyers.

However, the city was sued last year by Uplift Inglewood Coalition, which claimed the arena project violated the California Surplus Land Act. It asked the courts to void the contract between the city of Inglewood and the Clippers in order to give affordable housing developers a chance to bid on the land for 60 days. But the judge sided with the city and Clippers, arguing that housing cannot be reintroduced to the site because of its location under a LAX flight path, which the judge added could pose a public health hazard.

“We are extremely disappointed and perplexed by the court’s ruling,” the attorneys representing Uplift Inglewood Coalition said in a statement to Curbed L.A. “The court’s decision gives the city a pass on compliance with the Surplus Land Act at a time of grave affordable and homeless crisis.”

Inglewood Mayor James Butts felt otherwise, issuing a statement that praised the ruling as a “tremendous victory for the people of Inglewood.”

This is the latest battle over affordable housing in a very affordable state as earlier this week, Apple allocated funds to address the lack of affordable housing options, with a $2.5 billion plan to assist both homeowners and renters, following Facebook’s announcement for $1 billion in similar housing-related funding and a $1 billion announcement by Google in May.

(Photo via Amy Meredith / Creative Commons)

About the author

Phil Hall

Link copied

Published

Nov 08, 2019

Analysis and Data

Redfin: Homebuyers Gain Leverage, But Pending Sales Keep Sliding

Pending sales fall 16.4% from a year ago despite lower home prices and mortgage payments, as sellers retreat from a weakening market

Home prices are falling. Mortgage payments are easing. Sellers are becoming more willing to negotiate. Yet the housing market keeps losing buyers.Pending home sales fell 16.4% year over year during the four weeks ending Nov. 1, reaching their lowest level in Redfin's weekly ...

Tech

New AI-Run Mortgage Startup Builds Database Of 224,000 LOs

LenDb.ai is making LO records available to AI assistants, offering a potential new way for borrowers to find originators

A new mortgage technology startup is betting that borrowers will increasingly turn to artificial intelligence to find a loan originator, and it wants to make sure AI knows whom to recommend.LenDb.ai, launched Thursday by venture studio Draper Goren Blockchain, has assembled ...

Jan

Uncasville, CT

More from

Industry News

Fed Holds Rates, But Pricing Pressures Persist

Rising Treasury yields and fresh inflation data complicate rate locks, borrower qualification, and lender margins as markets anticipate another hike in December

Industry News

Oct 29, 2026

Zippy Adds Capital For Manufactured-Home Lending Push

The $20 million investment from Saluda Grade will support expansion beyond 27 states and new loan products across wholesale, retail, and community channels

Industry News

Oct 16, 2026

Inflation Hits 3.7%, Putting Mortgage Rate Relief At Risk

September’s inflation pickup puts recent rate improvements at risk, potentially eroding affordability gains from lower home prices and seller concessions

Industry News

Oct 14, 2026

PLACE Acquires Ardley, Expanding Push To Turn Existing Borrowers Into New Loans

The latest deal connects borrower retention technology with Maxwell's origination platform and PLACE's real estate network, creating new opportunities for lenders

Industry News

Oct 09, 2026

Equifax, TransUnion Launch New Tools To Cut Credit Report Costs

Both bureaus introduce ways to purchase credit scores separately from reports, while Equifax reports growing VantageScore adoption and extends $1 pricing through 2028

Industry News

Oct 09, 2026

Newrez, eXp Realty Form Joint Venture To Target Purchase Business

Revenos Mortgage is set to launch in early 2027, replacing eXp's joint venture with Kind Lending

Industry News

Oct 08, 2026

Popular