For decades, if you mentioned the Jordan Downs housing projects, people usually thought of two things: the Grape Street Crips and a level of poverty that felt impossible to escape. It was this massive, splotchy salmon-colored maze of 1940s barracks sitting right in the middle of Watts. Honestly, for the people living there, it wasn't just a "project"—it was home, even if the roofs leaked and the windows were drafty.
But things look a lot different today in 2026.
The old world of Jordan Downs is basically gone, replaced by a $1 billion "urban village" that’s trying to prove you can fix public housing without kicking everyone out. It’s a bold experiment. Some call it a miracle, while others are still waiting to see if the soul of the neighborhood survives the shiny new paint.
The Reality of the Jordan Downs Housing Projects Today
Walk down Century Boulevard now and you won’t see the "war worker" bungalows that stood there since 1944. Instead, you've got places like Cypress View, which just had its grand opening this January. It’s got five-bedroom apartments, solar panels, and EV chargers. It feels more like a modern Westside development than what we traditionally think of as "the projects."
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) didn't just want to slap a fresh coat of paint on. They went for a total teardown. We're talking 1,569 units when the whole thing is finished—nearly double what was there before.
The big "must-know" facts about the current state of things:
- Freedom Plaza is the new heartbeat. It’s a 115,000-square-foot retail hub with a Smart & Final and a Starbucks. Having a decent grocery store within walking distance was a huge deal for a neighborhood that was a food desert for a lifetime.
- The "Build-First" Strategy: This is the most important part. HACLA promised a one-for-one replacement. They built new units on vacant land nearby so residents could move straight into a new home before their old one was demolished. No displacement. That was the promise, anyway.
- Mixed-Income is the Goal: It’s not just for the very poor anymore. They’ve mixed in market-rate units and housing for people earning 80% of the area median income. The idea? Break the "concentration of poverty" that experts say kills opportunity.
Why Everyone is Talking About the $1 Billion Price Tag
It’s a massive amount of money. Just this week, Mayor Karen Bass and state officials were out there celebrating the latest milestone. The state has poured in over $77 million through programs like the Strategic Growth Council’s Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities fund.
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It’s expensive. Like, $700,000 to $800,000 per unit expensive.
Critics wonder if that's the best way to spend tax dollars when the homelessness crisis is still so loud. But proponents argue that if you don't build high-quality, permanent communities like this, you're just kicking the can down the road.
A History That Isn't Just Gangs and Crime
You can't understand the Jordan Downs housing projects without looking at the 1940s. It was originally built to house World War II veterans and workers. Back then, it was actually a semi-integrated, hopeful place.
Then the 1950s happened.
White flight, restrictive covenants, and the loss of manufacturing jobs turned Watts into a pressure cooker. By the time the 1965 Watts Riots broke out, Jordan Downs was a flashpoint. The despair was real. By the 80s and 90s, the Grape Street Crips became synonymous with the area.
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But there was also a "Watts Truce" in 1992 that started right here. The residents have always been more than the headlines. There’s a deep-rooted community pride that survives even the toughest years. That's why the redevelopment includes a 50,000-square-foot community center and nine acres of parks—because the people who lived through the "bad old days" demanded more than just four walls and a roof.
What Most People Get Wrong About the "New" Jordan Downs
A lot of people think "redevelopment" is just a fancy word for gentrification. In many L.A. neighborhoods, it is. But Jordan Downs is different because the residents actually had a seat at the table.
Does that mean everyone is happy? No.
Some legacy residents feel the new rules in the modern buildings—like stricter guest policies or pet regulations—feel a bit like living in a dorm. There’s a loss of that "porch culture" where everyone knew everyone’s business. But then you talk to a mom who finally has a dishwasher and a safe park for her kids to play in at Pearl Park, and the trade-off starts to make sense.
What's Next for the Watts Transformation?
We aren't at the finish line yet. The master plan, led by BRIDGE Housing and The Michaels Organization, is still churning through phases.
If you're keeping track of the timeline:
- Phase H2B and S4 are wrapping up construction through 2025.
- More than 700 affordable homes are already occupied.
- The final phases (S5 through S8) are still in the pipeline, aiming to bring the total unit count to that 1,500+ goal.
- Infrastructure like the extension of Century Boulevard to Alameda Street has already changed the "trapped" feel of the neighborhood by connecting it to the rest of the city.
Honestly, the jordan downs housing projects are no longer a project in the old-school sense. It’s a neighborhood. It’s a test case for whether the city can actually fix its past mistakes without erasing the people who survived them.
If you are a resident or looking to move into the area, keep an eye on the HACLA portals. Leasing for the newer phases like Kalmia Rose and Cypress View usually involves a lottery or specific priority for those already in the system. For everyone else, the best way to support the "new" Watts is simple: go shop at Freedom Plaza. The success of those businesses is what keeps the lights on and the jobs coming for the people who live there.
The story of Jordan Downs isn't over—it's just finally getting a better middle chapter.