City Moves Forward on Gale Yard Housing RFP

The Beverly Hills City Council took a key procedural step toward potential development at the city-owned Gale Yard site during its Feb. 11 adjourned study session, directing staff to move forward with additional environmental testing and begin drafting a Request for Proposals (RFP) for affordable housing at the property.

City staff presented the site, located at 8401 Wilshire Blvd. near the Wilshire/La Cienega Metro station, as part of Beverly Hills’ state-mandated Housing Element obligations. Under California law, the city must plan for 3,104 new housing units across all income levels by 2029, including a commitment to facilitate 557 affordable units on city-owned properties, with 125 units identified for Gale Yard.

Logan Phillippo, Real Property Development Manager in the City Manager’s Office, told councilmembers that the RFP would be the first formal step in evaluating the feasibility of developing the site and setting expectations for potential developers, including unit count, parking, and possible ground-floor uses.

Phillippo explained that issuing an RFP would not approve any project, but would allow the city to assess developer interest, financial feasibility, and how proposals might align with community priorities raised in earlier public forums, including parking, retail activation, and public safety considerations near the Metro station.

Several residents who spoke during the study session raised concerns about parking, neighborhood impacts, and public safety, particularly given the site’s proximity to the future Metro station. Some urged the city to consider alternative uses for the property, including senior housing, while others cautioned against moving too quickly before understanding environmental conditions left by prior construction staging for the D Line extension.

Councilmembers acknowledged those concerns while emphasizing the legal and financial risks of delaying housing projects tied to the city’s certified Housing Element. Failure to meet state housing commitments could expose Beverly Hills to penalties and so-called “Builder’s Remedy” projects that bypass local zoning controls.

Councilmember Lester Friedman said additional environmental testing is necessary before any development decisions are made, but urged staff to complete that work quickly so the city does not lose momentum.

Vice Mayor Craig Corman echoed concerns about timing, warning that moving too slowly on preparatory steps could leave the city vulnerable to state enforcement or rushed decisions later.

City officials also noted that Gale Yard is one of several city-owned sites identified to help meet affordable housing requirements, alongside other properties in different parts of Beverly Hills. Staff said any future RFP would return to council for public discussion before being issued, giving residents another opportunity to weigh in on the site’s future.

The council did not vote to approve any specific development at Gale Yard. The direction given Feb. 11 authorizes staff to proceed with technical groundwork, environmental review, and preparation of an RFP framework that will come back to the council in a future public meeting.