Venice Community Housing, Linc Housing Break Ground on $93M Sankofa Place in Inglewood

• Venice Community Housing, Linc Housing, and the Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI) have started construction on Sankofa Place at Centinela, a mixed-use affordable housing project at 400 Centinela Avenue, Inglewood, California.
• The development will deliver 120 apartments, including homes for households earning 30% to 80% of area median income, alongside a 25,000-square-foot SJLI cultural hub.
• LACAHSA committed approximately $7.6 million in construction financing, with the latest local reporting putting total development costs at about $93 million.
• Construction is underway, with the project targeting fall 2028 completion and including transportation improvements such as a new bikeway and funding for electric buses.

What Venice Community Housing and Linc Housing Are Building

Sankofa Place at Centinela is moving from planning to construction, bringing affordable housing and community facilities to a site at 400 Centinela Avenue in Inglewood. The development is a partnership between nonprofit developers Venice Community Housing and Linc Housing, along with the Social Justice Learning Institute. The project will include 120 apartments ranging from studios to three-bedroom homes. The financing documents identify 118 income-restricted rental apartments and two manager units, with rents designed for households earning between 30% and 80% of area median income. The project also replaces a vacant site with a long-term community resource. Its combination of housing and nonprofit space reflects a model that ties residential development to neighborhood services.

 

 

What the 25,000-Square-Foot SJLI Hub Adds

A major component is the new 25,000-square-foot headquarters for the Social Justice Learning Institute. Planned facilities include a library, micro farm, teaching kitchen, and wellness studio, allowing the nonprofit to provide services directly from the development.

SJLI Executive Director Derek Steele said, “We wanted to make sure there’s physical space for people to be here.” The comment highlights the project's goal of maintaining community access as Inglewood changes and housing costs rise.

The development is also expected to serve young people transitioning out of homelessness. According to Venice Community Housing Co-Executive Director Allison Riley, half of the apartments will go to youth transitioning out of homelessness, connecting the project’s housing component with supportive services.

What the Financing Means for the Project

The Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency, known as LACAHSA, committed approximately $7.6 million through a residual receipts loan. The project also draws on a broader package of public financing, tax credits, and other sources. The cost estimate requires an update: the supplied report cited $44 million, but newer local coverage places the development at about $93 million, while a LACAHSA credit memo estimated total development costs at approximately $99.7 million. The figures differ, so the $44 million number should not be treated as the latest overall project budget. The financing structure demonstrates the role of public agencies and nonprofit developers in delivering housing that serves lower-income households. For investors, these projects operate under a different model from conventional market-rate apartments, with affordability restrictions and public funding shaping the economics.

What the Project Means for Inglewood’s Growth

Sankofa Place is designed to provide more than apartments. State funding will support a new east-west bikeway parallel to Florence Avenue and improvements related to electric bus service, linking the project to broader transportation and sustainability goals.

Inglewood City Councilmember Alex Padilla said, “This is going to provide homes for families for generations to come right here in the city of Inglewood.”

That long-term objective comes as the city experiences rising housing costs and continued development. The project adds income-restricted homes while creating a permanent base for a community organization.

What Comes Next for Sankofa Place

Construction is underway, with fall 2028 the latest reported target for opening. The next milestones include building the residential units, delivering SJLI’s cultural hub, and completing associated transportation improvements. For the local housing market, Sankofa Place represents a substantial nonprofit-led investment in affordable homes and community infrastructure.