City Council to Consider $2 Million Loan to Heritage Housing Partners

As part of Monday’s consent calendar, the City Council will consider an affordable housing loan agreement for a $2 million city loan with Heritage Housing Partners.

The loan will be used to acquire and rehabilitate property at 2322 E. Foothill Boulevard.

The property will become a six-unit affordable rental housing project for homeless and housing insecure transition age youth.

“HHP proposes renovating the existing structures and reconfiguring the five existing floor plans to provide six units of interim housing for homeless and at-risk youth, generally from the ages of eighteen to twenty-four,” according to a city staff report. “The proposed project will help address an unmet need for housing among this population.

All six of the units will be no more than 375 square feet. New drywall, flooring, and bath and kitchen fixtures will be installed, along with microwaves, ranges, garbage disposals, and refrigerators.

“Youth housing remains an unmet need in the city and throughout the region,” according to a staff report contained in Monday’s agenda. “According to a recent study, UCLA’s “State of Crisis: Dismantling Student Homelessness in California”, it’s estimated that one in five California Community College students experience homelessness or are housing insecure.”

According to that report, community colleges have the highest rates of homelessness and housing insecurity across California’s three public systems of post-secondary education.

According to the city staff report, currently, there are not enough housing opportunities that are affordable to students and growing housing insecurity among college students stemming from high rents poses serious barriers to educational achievement.

“Critical interventions for youth experiencing homelessness include early and immediate access to interim housing and a clear pathway to long-term housing that will end their homelessness and promote early stabilization, so they can get connected to resources such as employment and education support,” the report reads.