LONG BEACH, CA - Linc Housing announced the start of construction on Bloom at Magnolia, an all-new, 40-unit apartment community in Long Beach for people who have experienced homelessness.
Located in the South Wrigley neighborhood in central Long Beach, Bloom at Magnolia is aligned with key concepts in the City’s proposed General Plan Update by incorporating smart growth principles to develop a thriving and livable community that promotes healthy living, education, opportunity and neighborhood engagement. The 37,900-square-foot site was purchased from the City of Long Beach’s nonprofit affiliate, the Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC), following a competitive bidding process.
“Building supportive housing for our city’s most vulnerable populations is now more critical than ever,” said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia. “We are proud of innovative developments like Bloom at Magnolia that offer residents improved quality of life and access to a wide range of onsite social and supportive services.”
The new community, located at 1770 Magnolia Avenue, will have 39 one-bedroom apartments and one manager’s unit. Other features include a computer lab, office space for supportive services case managers, dedicated bicycle parking, 3,000 square feet of indoor community space, 3,000 square feet of outdoor common areas, and convenient access to public transportation, shopping and community services.
"Now, more than ever, we see that housing formerly homeless individuals can be life changing,” said Emilio Salas, acting executive director, Los Angeles County Development Authority. “Among the various dangers that exist for an unsheltered individual, avoiding illnesses, like COVID-19, is yet another. The Measure H funds used to build Bloom at Magnolia will serve as a long-term investment for some of our most vulnerable populations."
Construction of affordable housing has been designated an essential activity during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the construction team will follow recommended safety protocols to keep the job site safe.
“Our work has always been essential, but these challenging times raise this idea of essential to new heights,” said Rebecca Clark, Linc Housing president and CEO. “Even with so many on our team and others working remotely, our partners at the City of Long Beach and the County of Los Angeles have remained committed to helping us get this much needed development underway by working with us to finalize the financing and obtain needed permits. We can’t thank everyone enough for ensuring our work can continue through these trying times. We want to get this supportive housing built as quickly as possible.”
With funding support from Los Angeles County, residents will receive intensive case management to help ensure they thrive. Supportive services will include mental health and physical health services, employment counseling and job placement, education, substance abuse counseling, money management, assistance in obtaining and maintaining benefits, and referrals to community-based services and resources.
Funding for the development comes from a variety of sources including $8.5 million from the Los Angeles County Development Authority (general funds, Mental Health Housing Program Funds, and Measure H Funds), $2 million in gap financing from the Long Beach Community Investment Company (LBCIC), a conventional loan from the California Community Reinvestment Corporation, a construction loan from Union Bank, tax credit equity from Raymond James Tax Credit Funds, Inc., and Affordable Housing Program funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank. The California Endowment provided predevelopment support. Bloom at Magnolia also benefits from the federal Opportunity Zone incentive program intended to spur economic development and job creation in distressed communities.
The new community was designed by Withee Malcolm Architects and will be built by Sun Country Builders. The development is due to be completed in late 2021. All units will be filled through referrals from the County of Los Angeles Coordinated Entry System (CES). Bloom at Magnolia is Linc Housing’s third development in Long Beach. Spark at Midtown, with 95 units, will be completed in early 2021, and The Palace, opened in 2012, has 13 homes for transition age youth.