Developers Add 195 Units of Affordable Housing

Courier Place

LOS ANGELES-Developers are adding 195 new units of affordable housing in the latest round of new low-income, work force and seniors housing in L.A. County. The 195 units include 121 in Los Angeles by Agoura Hills-based Amcal Multi-Housing Inc. and 74 in the City of Claremont by Jamboree Housing of Irvine, CA.

Amcal on Dec. 9 unveiled a 75-unit low-income project called Andalucia Heights in the Westlake District of Los Angeles and broke ground yesterday on a 46-unit senior work force project called Sunrise in South Los Angeles. Jamboree’s new development is Courier Place, a transit-oriented project slated for LEED Platinum certification that is designed for working families and for senior citizens 62 years and older.

Andalucia Heights is an infill development designed by Van Tilburg, Banvard and Soderbergh architects of Santa Monica to include front stoops along Fourth Street to integrate the development into the surrounding community. It is Amcal’s 13th completed development in Los Angeles since 2003. The project consists of two buildings comprising four one-bedroom apartments, 48 two-bedroom units, 20 three-bedroom apartments and three four-bedroom units, plus 75 parking spaces.

Andalucia Heights

Percy Vaz, CEO of Amcal, points out that the company developed the project in partnership with the City of Los Angeles and its non-profit partner Works. The complex is reserved for families who earn 60% or less of the area median income. Apartments range from 580 to 1,250 square feet.

Amcal and Works financed the development, which cost more than $25 million to build, with an award in 2008 of $13.34 million in 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. Equity, construction and permanent loans are being provided by Los Angeles Housing Department, Central City West Housing Trust Funds, Hudson Housing Corp., Chase Community Development Banking and California Community Reinvestment Corp. Andalucia was Amcal’s first development to receive L.A. County Community Development Commission City of Industry funds, and was also the first development in California to start construction using funds awarded through the State Housing and Community Development Infill Infrastructure Grant Program. Amcal General Contractors was the general contractor on the development and completed the complex on time and within budget.

Jamboree’s Courier Place, which received $4.91 million from the City of Claremont and $2.75 million in funding from the Community Development Commission of Los Angeles County, is a $21.36 million development in Downtown Claremont within Claremont’s Village Expansion. The 3.4-acre infill site is the former location of the Claremont Courier newspaper, which has moved to another location.

The three-story, garden-style complex represents a development milestone for Jamboree, according to company president Laura Archuleta. It is Jamboree’s first intergenerational, affordable apartment project in the City of Claremont and “will help pioneer a new generation of housing that will be sustainable, affordable and intergenerational,” she said. 

Located at 111 S. College Blvd., the complex is immediately south of the Claremont Transportation Center and less than a quarter mile from downtown Claremont and the Claremont Colleges. It will be home to seniors and families earning 30% to 50% of the Area Median Income. The senior citizens building will feature 38 one-bedroom apartments, an elevator, and recreation space.  The family apartments will be in two buildings and consist of 36 two- and three-bedroom apartments, each with two bathrooms. 

Michael Massie, Jamboree’s housing development manager, explained that intergenerational living “is based on the idea that the blending of families and seniors builds a community and offers a lifestyle that enhances health and happiness.” Although intergenerational housing is not a new idea, “It only recently that we have started to see these projects become more popular in California and only a few have been affordable,” Massie added.

Designed by William Hezmalhalch Architects, Inc. and to be constructed by Advent Cos., Courier Place will also include a 3,000 square-foot recreation center with property management offices, a multipurpose room, kitchen, restrooms, and computer room. Outdoor amenities include a swimming pool, patio dining area with barbecues, and a tot-lot. Rents will be $409 to $990 per month, based on family size and income level. The complex is slated for occupancy in March 2012. Financial partners in the project include the City of Claremont, Claremont Redevelopment Agency, the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles, US Bank, and the WNC & Associates investment firm.

Sunrise Rendering

Amcal’s Sunrise project will replace an underutilized site on a commercial corridor in South Los Angeles, noted Amcal CEO Vaz, who poined out that it is being financed with an allocation of $6 million in 9% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits from the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee and will be LEED Silver certified. It is designed for seniors whose household income ranges between 30% and 60% of the Area Median Income.

Financing for the complex of one- and two-bedroom apartments included funding from the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Housing Department. Combined with funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development Infill Infrastructure Grant, and the Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles. Equity is being provided by Hudson Housing Capital, and the construction and permanent financing lender is Citibank, N.A. Amcal General Contractors is the general contractor for the project, which is scheduled for completion in spring 2012.

In addition to the one- and two-bedroom units, the complex will feature a community room with kitchenette and lounge, centralized laundry facilities, landscaped common area with barbeque grills and outdoor seating. Its location South Park and Junipero Serra Library is also near a grocery store and medical offices. Like all Amcal developments, it will provide free social services for residents including computer training, education, legal referrals, tax preparation referrals, and health and nutrition programs.