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If you live in Sherman Oaks, you’ve probably heard people talking about a subway under the Sepulveda Pass. Some folks talk like there’ll be a station on every corner next year. Others say it’ll never happen. The truth sits somewhere in the middle, and that’s what I want to walk through with you here.
I’ve lived in Sherman Oaks for 30 years. I’ve sat in 405 traffic about as long as anyone, probably longer than I’d like to admit. So when clients started asking me about this project, I did what I always do. I went and read what Metro actually approved, instead of what people were saying about it online.
I also made a video on this for my YouTube channel, Valley Housing Market with David Hitt. You can watch it right here, or keep reading for the written version.
What Metro Actually Approved
Let’s start with the facts. On January 22, 2026, the Metro Board voted unanimously to go with underground heavy rail for the Sepulveda Transit Corridor.
Unanimously. That’s worth a pause, because big projects in Los Angeles don’t usually get a clean vote like that.
So what does “heavy rail” mean? In plain English, it’s a subway. Think of the kind of train you’d ride in a big city, running in a tunnel. It’s not a bus, and it’s not a streetcar.
According to Metro, the route is about 13 miles. It runs from Van Nuys down to the E Line on the Westside, with seven stations planned along the way, including one in Sherman Oaks.
I want to be careful about exactly where each station lands. That kind of detail can shift as the design moves forward. So please check the current map on Metro’s website rather than taking anyone’s word for it, including mine.
The estimated cost is somewhere between $20 billion and $25 billion. That’s an estimate, not a final number. With a project this size, estimates tend to move.
Why “Underground” Matters to Homeowners
There were other options on the table. A monorail was considered. Above-ground options were considered. Metro passed on those and chose to go underground.
For homeowners, that decision matters a lot. A monorail or an elevated line running over the streets would have been a very different conversation. You’d be talking about tracks you could see, and hear, from backyards.
Underground changes that. Once it’s built and running, most of it is out of sight. Building it is a different story, and I’ll get to that in a minute.
What Has NOT Been Decided Yet
This is the part I most want you to remember.
There’s still a final design to finish. There’s still a final environmental review. And the full funding still has to be lined up. Each of those is a big step. Any one of them can take time, and any one of them can change the details.
And here’s the big one: there is no opening year. It’s not that one hasn’t been announced. There simply isn’t one set.
So if someone tells you this line opens in a certain year, be a little skeptical. Construction is still years away. Anyone giving you a date is guessing.
I don’t say that to knock the project. I actually think it’s a good thing Metro made a clear decision. I just don’t want anyone making a big decision about their home based on a date that doesn’t exist yet.
What It Could Mean for Your Home
This is probably the question you really came here for. The honest answer is that it depends on where your home sits. I think about it in three situations.
1. Your home is near a future station
Over time, easier access to the Westside could add some appeal. If you can get from Sherman Oaks over the hill without sitting in the pass, that’s a real quality-of-life improvement for a lot of people who work on the other side.
But here’s what I want you to hear. That kind of thing usually shows up gradually, not overnight. It’s not as if every house within a few blocks jumps in value the day the shovels go in. Buyers tend to notice things like this slowly, as a project becomes real and they can see it coming together.
2. Your home is near the construction
This is the part people don’t love to talk about, but I think you deserve to hear it.
During construction, there can be noise and detours. There can be staging areas, which is where crews keep equipment and materials, sometimes for a long time. For the blocks right next to that work, it can be a real short-term downside. I’m not going to sugarcoat that.
If you’ve been in your home for twenty years and you’re thinking about selling in the next few, and you learn a staging area is planned down the street, that’s worth thinking through carefully.
The good news is that nobody knows yet exactly where those staging areas will be. That’s still being worked out. So this isn’t a reason to panic. It’s a reason to pay attention.
3. Your home is farther from any station
Honestly, for most homeowners, I’d expect little direct effect. The main benefit might simply be less traffic, if the project delivers what it’s meant to. That’s a big “if,” just because of how long these things take.
Still, less traffic is something. If you’ve ever tried to get to the Westside at five o’clock on a weekday, you know exactly what I mean.
Be Careful With Anyone Who Promises a Number
Let me say this as plainly as I can. I’m not going to promise you a number, and nobody honestly can.
If someone tells you this subway will add a specific percentage to your home’s value, I’d be very careful. There’s no honest way to know that right now.
What I can tell you is that location relative to transit is one of the things buyers look at. It’s one of many, along with the condition of the home, the street, the price, and the market at the time you sell. The subway is one piece of a bigger picture, not the whole picture.
How I Think About It With Sellers
When I walk through a home with a seller, I look at the things that make that particular house work. How it sits on the lot. How much light it gets. How it lives day to day. How easy it is to get in and out of the neighborhood.
Transit fits into that last one. It’s about getting around, and getting around has always mattered here because of the hill, the pass, and everything that comes with them. If this line gets built the way it’s planned, it adds to that conversation. It doesn’t replace the rest of it.
A home that’s well cared for and priced right is still what buyers respond to. That was true before anyone voted on a subway, and it’ll be true after.
What I’d Do If I Were You
If you’re not planning to move for years, I wouldn’t change a thing because of this project. Keep an eye on the news, and check Metro’s updates every so often.
If you’re thinking about selling in the next few years, it’s worth knowing where your home sits relative to the planned route and any future construction zones. That’s not a reason to rush. It’s just good information to have when you plan your timing.
And if you’re buying in Sherman Oaks, treat the subway as a possible long-term bonus, not the reason to buy. Buy the home because it works for your life today.
If you’d like to talk through what this might mean for your specific street, I’m always happy to have that conversation. No pressure, just an honest look at the facts as they stand. Give me a call or send me a note anytime.
Project details are based on LA Metro information as of November 2026 and may change. Please confirm the latest route and station details on metro.net.
David Hitt, Broker Associate, CLHMS
Coldwell Banker · DRE #01210537 · 818-422-1702
