Blighted, Crime-Infested Buildings Transformed Into Affordable Housing for Workforce Families
August 31, 2012 – (RealEstateRama) — Councilman Dee Andrews, 6th District, The Long Beach Housing Development Company (LBHDC) and Jamboree Housing Corporation (Jamboree) celebrated the grand opening of Collage Apartments at 1893, 1905, 1907 and 1911 Pine Avenue. Once blighted and crime-infested buildings, they have been transformed into quality affordable housing for workforce families.
“The rehabilitation of these properties provide working families with a safe and affordable place to live,” said Councilman Dee Andrews. “It revitalizes the neighborhood and helps to attract and retain good residents – making Long Beach a better place to live.”
The acquisition and rehabilitation of these properties are part of the community revitalization efforts in the Central Housing Action Plan (HAP) focus area. One of the recommended strategies included in the HAP is to acquire parcels that are currently vacant or have substandard improvements.
“The LBHDC acquired these properties to further its mission in providing safe and livable neighborhoods in Long Beach,” said Patrick Brown, Chair, LBHDC. “With the dissolution of the Redevelopment Agency and current legislation, we are extremely happy to see this project come to completion.”
The project underscores Jamboree’s commitment to making neighborhoods a better place to live for all its residents. According to Laura Archuleta, president of the nonprofit affordable housing developer, “Collage Apartments is another great example of Jamboree’s commitment to build not only quality affordable housing but to go far beyond that to strengthen an entire neighborhood. This development represents our ongoing commitment to the City of Long Beach and its residents.”
Once unsafe for occupancy with a multitude of illegal conversions, the buildings have been transformed from 17 units to 12 two-bedroom and two three-bedroom apartments. The property now features enclosed garage spaces, a new community room, tot lot, courtyard and resident garden, bike racks and laundry facilities. Each unit is fully renovated and modernized to include new windows and appliances, kitchen and bathroom countertops, cabinetry, plumbing and electrical.
Collage residents are invited to participate in social service activities at Puerto Del Sol Apartments, another location in Long Beach owned and managed by Jamboree. Support services include academic enrichment, family health and fitness, and community-building activities.
About The Long Beach Housing Development Company – The Long Beach Housing Development Company was established by the City of Long Beach in 1989 to assist in the creation and development of affordable housing. The LBHDC’s mission is to provide safe and livable neighborhoods in Long Beach by promoting, developing, and preserving decent, safe and affordable housing for the very low-, low- and moderate-income residents of Long Beach. The LBHDC offers a range of low cost financing, subsidies and other forms of financial assistance to encourage the development of affordable housing that improves the quality of life of the residents it serves. For more information, go to www.lbhdc.org.
About Jamboree Housing Corporation – Founded in 1990, Irvine, CA-headquartered Jamboree Housing Corporation is an award-winning, broad- based nonprofit housing development company that develops, acquires, renovates and manages permanently affordable rental and ownership housing throughout California for working families, seniors and people with special needs. HOMES, Inc. and Housing with HEART are 501(c)(3) organizations and comprise Jamboree’s Resident Services Group. A leading nonprofit developer, Jamboree is committed to sustaining excellence with high quality affordable housing that is good for the environment, the economy and local communities. It currently has about $155 million in affordable housing projects in its development pipeline and a $1 billion asset portfolio that includes the development of and/or ownership interest in more than 6,700 homes in more than 67 California communities. Currently, Housing with HEART programs and services that foster learning, health and community building are offered at 39 Jamboree communities with designated staff at each location. For more information, go to www.jamboreehousing.com.
About the Housing Action Plan – In 2004, the City of Long Beach adopted a Housing Action Plan (HAP) to serve as a framework for the allocation of scarce housing resources. Its intent is to maximize investment of these resources to benefit as many residents as possible, and at the same time, revitalize and stabilize Long Beach neighborhoods. Three neighborhoods were selected as HAP focus areas as described below:
Washington School (Anaheim Street – Pacific Coast Highway (PCH)/Magnolia Avenue-Long Beach Boulevard)
Central (PCH-Willow Street/Pacific Avenue-Western boundary of Signal Hill) with emphasis on the western sub area (PCH-Hill Street/Pacific Avenue-Atlantic Avenue)
North Long Beach King School (Artesia Freeway-Greenleaf Boulevard (North City limits)/Delta Avenue-Long Beach Freeway)
Contact:
Jacqueline Medina, Long Beach Development Services 562.570.3827
jacqueline.medina (at) longbeach (dot) gov
Lorraine O’Keefe, ThinkinBig Communications for Jamboree 949.219.0770
lorraine (at) thinkinbig (dot) com
