A Life-Threatening Loophole: Stop the 11-Story Mega Development Before It’s Too Late
Developer Jordan Shalom is exploiting a loophole in outdated regulations to force through the construction of a massive 68-unit, 11-story apartment building at Barham Blvd and Floyd Drive—a location now officially classified as a “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone” by both CAL FIRE and the Los Angeles Fire Department after the devastating 2024 fires.
This project was filed years ago, before the full scale of Los Angeles’ wildfire crisis became clear. Today, the risk is undeniable. Our neighborhoods are burning more often, more intensely, and with less warning. Yet this developer is ignoring the new reality—and the safety of the families who live here—for the sake of corporate profit.
If this oversized building is allowed to move forward:
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Fire evacuation routes will be severely choked, especially along Barham Blvd, already a heavily trafficked corridor.
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First responders will be blocked, delayed, or diverted—costing lives.
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Families, children, and seniors in nearby homes may not make it out in time.
This is not hypothetical. It is a real threat to the lives of every resident in the area.
The City of Los Angeles must act immediately to revoke this outdated approval and align with current fire safety standards.
Allowing this project to move forward is not just reckless—it’s potentially fatal.
Brace for a 70% Surge in Traffic — For 3 to 4 Years
Construction of an 11-story, 68-unit complex on Barham Blvd and Floyd Drive isn’t just a building project—it’s a multi-year siege on the only vital corridor linking Hollywood and Burbank. Here’s what to expect:
What This Means for You on Your Commute
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Expect up to a 70% increase in traffic volume on Barham Blvd as construction vehicles, material deliveries, and workers flood the road.
- But combine it with gridlock and stop-and-go, and it’s likely closer to 30 minutes to 1 hour or more—during peak hours.
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LADOT’s freeway and arterial closures reveal that losing just one lane can cause up to a 70% increases in delay—and this project guarantees a single-lane closure for the full 3–4 years it takes to build an 11-story structure.
Gridlock for Residents and Regional Commuters
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Barham Blvd is the only direct east–west connection between Hollywood and Burbank.
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With one lane shut for years, even normal morning traffic will stall—and at peak, it’s a full-blown bottleneck.
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This doesn’t just delay Angelenos heading to work—it backs up emergency vehicles, delivery trucks, ride-shares, and everyone in between.
LADOT & Caltrans: No More Than 30-Minute Delays Allowed
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Both LADOT and Caltrans stipulate that no lane closure should cause more than 30 minutes of additional delay above normal
But this isn’t a small maintenance job—it’s a full city block, 11-story project lasting years.-
They’ve already allowed lanes to close overnight during smaller projects to avoid exceeding those delay limits.
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Here, throughout the day, delays will far exceed what’s legally acceptable.
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Plus, no real detour exists: parallel streets are already congested.
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Real-Life Consequences
If you rely on Barham Blvd—whether you’re a Hollywood–Burbank commuter, a resident, or a service provider—this construction threatens to turn every day into traffic crawl.
With one lane closed for 3–4 years, travel times will double or worse, and we’re staring down a gridlock crisis that LADOT and Caltrans regulations explicitly prohibit.
No excusе—they must deny the permit or demand major, enforceable mitigations before anyone signs off.