Not in final form yet, but the Council has reversed course. Torrance’s City Council denied the 20 senior apartments in Walteria 7 to 0 on May 19, 2026, then on September 15 voted 5 to 1, with one member recused, to have staff bring back an approval. The October 6 vote on approval resolutions is not yet posted. The Planning Commission had approved the project 4 to 1 in December 2025 before an appeal brought it to the Council.
What the city is deciding
The September 15 item asked the Council to adopt written resolutions documenting the May denial. Instead, after discussing the state Housing Accountability Act, the Council directed staff to return with an item recommending approval. The permits include combining seven parcels into one lot.
Where and who it affects
The vacant site is on the east side of Hawthorne Boulevard, about 200 feet north of Rolling Hills Road. It covers 24,635 square feet and slopes sharply downhill to the north.
Single family homes sit to the north and northeast; an office building is to the south.
What it could mean for your property
The project is a three story building, 42 feet six inches from basement floor to roof, with 20 senior apartments, one of them affordable to a very low income household, and 1,608 square feet of commercial space. The proposal sought to reduce one setback beside homes from 20 feet to 10 feet at the basement garage level. A setback is the required gap between a building and a property line.
For nearby owners, the draft denial findings prepared for September 15 identified concerns about driveway access, the steep site and the removal of a guardrail. They also cited missing guardrail protection for homes downhill and intrusive effects on homes to the north and east.
Staff’s May report acknowledged effects on light, air and privacy for homes, but said state housing law limited review to objective development standards.
Questions to ask before you buy or build
- Did the Council adopt the approval resolutions on October 6?
- What driveway access and guardrail protection does a proposal for this site include?
- What setbacks beside neighboring homes are being requested?
What happens next
Resolutions to deny the appeal and approve the project were item 10C on the October 6 agenda, adding conditions to replace a frontage barrier and relocate an Edison pole. No minutes of that vote are posted. The documents do not say whether the appellant will challenge the decision.