Anaheim Development Serves Formerly Homeless, Individuals with Mental Illness

A new Anaheim, Calif., affordable housing development is helping Orange County get one step closer to its goal of ending homelessness by 2020.

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For Jamboree and IHO by juantallo.com

A joint venture between Jamboree Housing and Innovative Housing … Read More A joint venture between Jamboree Housing and Innovative Housing Opportunities, Rockwood Apartments was developed as a public/private partnership with the city of Anaheim, Orange County, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to fill a crucial gap in housing for formerly homeless families and permanent supportive housing for those living with chronic mental illness.

For Jamboree and IHO by juantallo.com

The new development replaces underutilized parcels with a three-… Read More The new development replaces underutilized parcels with a three-story garden-style building situated around a central courtyard. The building features 17 one-bedroom, 32 two-bedroom, and 21 three-bedroom apartment homes for families earning between 30% and 50% of the area median income.

For Jamboree and IHO by juantallo.com

Community amenities include laundry facilities, WiFi access, 115… Read More Community amenities include laundry facilities, WiFi access, 115 covered and uncovered parking spaces, an elevator, a tot lot, a half basketball court, a life-sized chess board, fitness stations and equipment, outdoor exercise stations, a barbecue and outdoor dining area, and a community garden.

For Jamboree and IHO by juantallo.com

Rockwood Apartments has a LEED for Homes certified Gold rating a… Read More Rockwood Apartments has a LEED for Homes certified Gold rating and exceeds Title 24 energy efficiency standards by at least 17.5%. This lowers energy consumption, provides a cost-saving benefit, and promotes the health of residents. Each home is equipped with Energy Star appliances.

The 70-unit Rockwood Apartments, developed by nonprofits Jamboree Housing Corp. and Innovative Housing Opportunities (IHO), is providing permanent supportive housing with services for formerly homeless residents and people living with mental illness.

“Rockwood is housing 48 families of Anaheim’s approximately 400 homeless families as well as 15 households where at least one resident has a clinical diagnosis of mental health,” says Mary Jo Goelzer, vice president of marketing and communications at Jamboree. “Not only are they permanently housed, they are receiving extensive services, programs, and support to help them remain housed.”

Fifteen units are set aside as permanent supportive housing for residents who receive services through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). An additional 48 units serve children and their families who are part of the Homeless Assistance Pilot Program, a collaboration between the city of Anaheim, the Anaheim School District, and the Illumination Foundation.

Jamboree and IHO provide a spectrum of resident services that include life-enhancing programming such as homework assistance and tutoring for students and health and wellness resources for families. The MHSA residents also receive supportive services through PACT, an Orange County Health Care Agency program.

Completed in September, Rockwood Apartments is Jamboree’s first in-house construction project. The development includes a 3,000-square-foot community building with a teaching kitchen, a computer lab, and a multipurpose room for resident services. Outdoor amenities include a tot lot, life-sized chess board, exercise stations, and a community garden.

Financing for the $32.2 million development includes HOME funds from the city of Anaheim, MHSA permanent financing from Orange County, and tax credit equity invested by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which also provided permanent financing. The city also provided 48 project-based vouchers.