A long-vacant patch of land just south of Ventura Boulevard in Encino is finally getting its big moment. The Los Angeles Department of City Planning has signed off on a seven-story, podium-style apartment building that would bring 68 one- and two-bedroom units to the site, including 14 set aside for very-low-income renters for an affordable term. Plans also call for roughly 163 parking spaces. Stockton Architects is listed as the project designer, with Liv Lux Property Group leading the development.
Urbanize LA reports that city planners approved the latest version of the so-called Libbit proposal on Monday, after the developer revised its application to tap newly adopted citywide housing incentives. According to Urbanize, the updated plan replaces earlier concepts with a taller and denser podium structure that leans on density-bonus perks and expedited approval pathways in order to trim discretionary review time.
The city's online case file for the project, available through the Los Angeles Department of City Planning case file, lists the proposal as a new seven-story building with 68 dwelling units, 14 of them reserved for very-low-income renters, and two levels of parking totaling 163 spaces. Public records show the application was filed in 2024 and accepted for review on April 23, 2026, with density bonus, off-menu incentives and other entitlement requests detailed in the case materials.
Former Plans And Permits
This is not the first time someone has tried to build big on this Encino parcel. Liv Lux previously floated a smaller 57-unit application for the site, and a prior owner, Precision Development, secured approvals for a five-story, 47-unit building that never made it out of the ground, according to Urbanize LA. Records from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety show a plan check process between 2018 and 2020 and an issued permit tied to a five-story apartment proposal at 4741 N Libbit Ave, underscoring the lot's long-running redevelopment saga.
How Incentives Sped The Process
Across Los Angeles, developers have been retooling projects to take advantage of new ministerial and corridor incentives that expand density-bonus options, value-capture mechanisms and other streamlined approval tools. Planning Department materials on recent ordinance changes and SB79 implementation describe expanded pathways that allow qualifying projects to limit discretionary review and move more quickly through the entitlement pipeline. Supporters argue those tweaks help shovel-ready housing get out of the paperwork queue and into construction sooner.
Neighbors, Price And Next Steps
Encino Neighborhood Council meeting minutes and planning review documents show that neighbors have previously raised concerns about building height, parking supply and traffic at this address, suggesting that local skepticism could flare up again as design details are finalized. Public property records indicate the land sold for about $7 million in 2022. Before any concrete is poured, the developer still needs to secure final building permits, contractor approvals and any remaining ministerial clearances, and the city's planning case file remains the key public window into where the project stands.
