Increasing Affordable Housing in Los Angeles, Young Burlington Apartments

 

There is a sense of energy and hopefulness that resonates from the young residents of Young Burlington Apartments located just West of downtown Los Angeles.  The twenty-one (21) unit complex is home to formerly homeless youth from ages 18-24.  Young Burlington opened its doors almost a year ago and those who contributed to making this project a reality all gathered to celebrate the achievements on October 18.  The HACLA is providing rental subsidy for twenty (20) units, a commitment of $3.9 million in Housing Assistance Payment over the 15 year contract term.  The project is part of the Permanent Supportive Housing Program (PSHP) portfolio to house the chronically homeless. 

 

Sable Beal, 23, is one of the residents.  “I feel more secure and now I have a place I can come home to on a regular basis. I don’t have a time limit … this allows me to be independent and grow.”

 

 

Women Organizing Resources Knowledge and Services (W.O.R.K.S.) is the developer and Jovenes Inc. is the main supportive service provider.  Department of Mental Health will provide mental health service through Filipino American Services Group, Inc. (FASGI).  Other supportive service partners include Amanacer Community Counseling Services and El Centro del Pueblo.

 

“I know how hard it is to make something like this happen,” explained HACLA President and CEO Douglas Guthrie.  “It takes a tremendous amount of commitment, it probably took 7 or 8 layers of different sorts of financing and different agencies to put this all together at the same time. It takes perseverance to really do this. And, we appreciate the work you do Channa and work of your staff. Thank you very much.”

 

Channa Grace is the President of W.O.R.K.S.

 

To date, HACLA has committed rental subsidy for 2505 PSHP units.

 

Star Apartments is another notable project to benefit from HACLA’s contribution of Project-based Section 8 vouchers.  The complex is the first prefabricated housing project in Los Angeles.  A fall 2013 opening is expected for nonprofit developer Skid Row Housing Trust’s 102-unit permanent supportive housing complex at the southeast corner of Sixth and Maple streets.

 

 Photo 1:HACLA President and CEO Douglas Guthrie pose for photo with Michael Alvidrez, Executive Director (Right) and Cristian Ahumada, Director of Housing (Left) with Skid Row Housing Trust.