Clifford Beers Housing’s Vistas del Puerto in Long Beach, California, is helping ease the area’s affordable housing crisis. The development provides 47 units—including half for people with chronic health conditions and those who have experienced homelessness and the rest for larger families and low-income households—as well as one manager’s unit.
“In this development, there are some larger family units with up to seven people,” says Audrey Peterson, the nonprofit’s housing director. “That really puts a dent in numbers when you look at total people served rather than units, and it makes the impact even bigger. Having stable housing important for every resident.”
In the 2020 annual point-in-time count, Los Angeles County had 66,000 homeless individuals. After skipping 2021 due to the pandemic, the most recent count was done earlier this year; Peterson is expecting even larger numbers.
“From there, we’ve gone through a pandemic and a financial crisis, and we know that number is climbing,” she says. “There is no area that is exempt from feeling the impact of our homeless crisis. Long Beach is no exception. And we must remember it [the homelessness crisis] is just the tip of the larger affordability crisis. It’s every scale of housing that is needed.”
The interest in Vistas del Puerto demonstrates that need. The development, which was completed in June 2021, leased up within four-and-a-half months and has a waiting list.
Close to transit and neighborhood amenities, the development boasts a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces for the residents, including courtyards, edible plantings on the rooftop, communal kitchens, a bike lounge and storage, and on-site laundry. Each unit also has its own balcony or outdoor space. In addition, the development is GreenPoint Rated Platinum, with solar panels on the rooftop that feed into a thermal hot water system.
“It’s a little slice of heaven in Long Beach,” she says, adding that on clear days residents can see the Long Beach port and ocean from the rooftop deck.
Vistas del Puerto also will include more than just housing. Two commercial spaces are reserved for local BIPOC or women-owned businesses, especially those that have been impacted by the pandemic.
For Peterson, the development has been a long journey and a labor of love after submitting an RFP to the city, which owned the site, in 2015.
“We’re very happy to be part of Long Beach’s mission to providing affordable and formerly homeless housing,” she says.
The $26.5 million development was financed primarily with 9% low-income housing tax credits, with Wells Fargo as the tax credit equity provider and construction lender. California Community Reinvestment Corp. was the permanent lender, and Long Beach Community Investment Co. and Los Angeles County Development Authority also provided capital for the project. In addition, the Los Angeles Department of Health Services is providing subsidies for the formerly homeless units.
Additional partners include architect KFA Architecture, general contractor Dreyfuss Construction, property manager Levine Management Group, supportive service provider Mental Health America of Los Angeles, and construction manager Primus Building Solutions.
