Grand Opening of Seven Homes for Young Adults with Developmental Disabilities Scheduled for May
On May 17th community members will celebrate HOPE's newly renovated eight-unit building in the Bixby Knolls neighborhood of Long Beach. HOPE acquired these homes back in February of 2016 to provide permanent, affordable housing for young adults with developmental disabilities moving out of their parents’ homes for the first time. Local officials, including Mayor Garcia, housing builders, bankers, service providers, donors, residents and family members will gather for a grand opening ceremony to hear remarks from the dedicated staff and leadership who worked tirelessly to make this innovative project a reality.
To add fanfare to the day’s events, a new resident of this housing is none other than Cristina Sanz, star of the Emmy Award winning, A&E docuseries, Born this Way. The show highlights the outgoing personalities and amazing abilities of seven young adults born with Down syndrome.
HOPE resident receives keys to first independent home.
This project's success was made possible through the collaborative efforts of four parties. In partnership with the City of Long Beach, HOPE Inc acquired the building as the site for Harbor Regional Center (HRC) and SL Start LLC’s newest supported living program, aptly titled, "On My Own." HRC is at the forefront of creating housing programs that best serve the unique needs of their clients.
Applicants enrolled in this program have their own one-bedroom unit and staff is available on site to deliver supported living services as needed. This unique model offers greater independence for tenants while providing peace of mind for their families. HOPE believes a home should not just be a roof over our residents’ heads; it should also enable them to make the most out of their lives. Moreover, different people need different levels of support to reach their full potential and take advantage of all that life has to offer.
The building, originally constructed in 1947, maintains much of its historic charm. However, it has been renovated to improve safety, privacy, and comfortability for tenants. A special thank you should be given to the City of Long Beach for partnering with HOPE on the purchase of this much needed affordable housing by contributing more than $500K toward the acquisition of the $1.6M multi-family building.
The first tenants began moving in February 2017. HOPE Associate Director, Denise Fanelli, was on site to welcome them and distribute house keys. “It was just great to see the excitement on their faces, and their families present to support them as they start this next phase of their lives.”
EVENT SPONSOR:
If you are interested in supporting the creation of housing such as HOPE's new home's in Long Beach, please consider contributing to our Pave it Forward brick-naming fundraiser. For $250, donors have the opportunity to "own" a piece of HOPE's mission. Each purchase comes with a personally inscribed brick that will then be placed in a prominent location at one of our properties. purchase today