Heroes Landing - Housing For Veterans in Orange County

Heroes Landing in Santa Ana formerly called Veterans Village

Veterans and Housing

For many years, the need for housing that responds to the unique needs of military veterans in Orange County has been unmet, especially for those veterans who are homeless and struggling to survive on the streets.

Jamboree is a part of the solution. With the assistance of like-minded corporate and humanitarian partners, we developed Heroes Landing, the largest Permanent Supportive Housing development for veterans in Orange County.

Heroes Landing (formerly called Santa Ana Veterans Village)

This Spanish revival-style, three-story, 75-unit supportive housing development is thoughtfully planned, down to the inclusion of a peaceful courtyard and community garden for residents to enjoy. Heroes Landing is a unique solution to modern veterans housing, where formerly homeless veterans and their families can find not just housing but also the assistance they need to move forward with their lives in a healthy, productive manner – all in one place.

When families move into Heroes Landing, they have immediate access to critical onsite supportive services, including employment assessment, training, and job placement as well as much-needed mental health services. These services are available to all veterans in Orange County.

Addressing housing needs for veterans has broad support and interest, and the development of Heroes Landing had the full support of city, county and community leaders. It has become known as a sanctuary of stability and hub of hope, referred to as a safe harbor by the Orange County Register.

What are the eligibility requirements to live at Heroes Landing?  

Applicant eligibility for this community is determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Long Beach Community Resource and Referral Center (CRRC). This includes discharge status and healthcare eligibility as well as a checklist of required documents. If interested, please call the CRRC at 844-838-8300 or visit in person at 888 W. Santa Ana Blvd. Suite 150, Santa Ana, CA 92701.

Based on CRRC’s determination of eligibility for applicants, Orange County’s Coordinated Entry System (OC CES) handles leasing intake for Heroes Landing when any openings are available. Priority placement is offered to chronically homeless veterans who are currently located in the service area.

If you are a homeless veteran or a veteran at risk for homelessness and need assistance now, call (877) 4AID-VET or (877) 424-3838. If you need housing right now, call 211!

Why is this story captivating Southern California and beyond?

1. The services offered at Heroes Landing aren’t just open to residents of the housing development; these services are available to ALL veterans in Orange County! Check out the Top 10 FAQs about Heroes Landing below for a list of our supportive services. 

2. Based on the Homelessness in Orange County: The Costs to Our Community study conducted by UC Irvine and funded by Jamboree and United Way Orange County, Heroes Landing has the potential to save Orange County more than $3.9 million in emergency services, unnecessary hospitalizations and other expenses annually by providing 75 homeless veterans with housing and services. Since the release of this study, the County of Orange has adopted a plan and committed to fund construction of 2,700 supportive housing units over the next three to five years, which would end chronic homelessness in Orange County.

3. The involvement of several standout individuals, leading veterans services partner organizations and national corporations like The Home Depot Foundation further underscore the importance of veterans housing with services. Heroes Landing would not be possible without the support of all our committed financial and community partners. Read more about them in the Top 10 FAQs about Heroes Landing below.

Jamboree Ground Breaking for Santa Ana Veteran's Village
Heroes Landing groundbreaking, Jamboree’s first and OC's largest property exclusively for veterans

At Jamboree’s groundbreaking ceremony for Heroes Landing on January 7, 2019, a number of veterans came to help celebrate the construction of new Permanent Supportive Housing for homeless veterans and their families. Among them was the Honorable Judge David O. Carter of the U.S. District Court.

In a rare personal appearance, Judge Carter pointed out how partners on Heroes Landing are helping to turn a corner, spurring veterans and civilians alike to “become increasingly involved to make sure our civilian population (also) isn’t suffering out there when they are seeking shelter.”

We were pleased to have this decorated Vietnam combat veteran deliver a message of inspiration from the podium. Who better would understand the needs of the brave men and women who often find it difficult to ask for the help they need than a fellow veteran?

Follow us on Facebook to learn the inspiring stories of some of these resident heroes. Go to Jamboree’s Facebook page now!

Who is talking about Heroes Landing?

The groundbreaking has also garnered local mainstream media coverage by NBC Los Angeles, 89.3KPCC, Spectrum 1 News and the Los Angeles Times – as well as national headlines in building publications like Multi-Housing News and Affordable Housing Finance.

Want to learn more and get involved?

If you’re a citizen who wants to help make a difference in your community, find out how to suggest solutions that work to help end homelessness.

If you’re ready to join the conversation as an elected official, city staff, a leader of a faith-based organization, community organization or other nonprofit, find out how to create more solutions to help end homelessness.

Top 10 FAQs About Heroes Landing

Where is Heroes Landing located?

Located at 3312 W. First Street between Harbor Boulevard and Fairview Avenue, Heroes Landing is less than three blocks from bus service line 64 and less than one mile from Cesar Chavez Campesino Park and a shopping center. 

How big is the property, and how many housing units are available?

Santa Ana Veteran's Village Rendering
Jamboree’s Heroes Landing combines high quality housing & onsite supportive services for formerly homeless vets

This veteran-centric supportive housing development is situated on a 1.5-acre lot that was once a service station and, most recently, an open parking lot. A total of 75 housing units are currently leased to formerly homeless veterans and their families – including 71 one-bedroom and four two-bedroom furnished apartment homes.

What else does the community offer to residents?

Heroes Landing is more than a place for residents to lay their heads. In collaboration with the City of Santa Ana, the County of Orange, the Veterans Administration (VA) and other leading veterans services organizations, and designs by Architecture Design Collaborative, Jamboree’s architectural partner on the project, the U-shaped, three-story residential building opens onto a spacious courtyard with a 4,500-square-foot community center that includes a fitness center and yoga room, multipurpose rooms, and onsite counseling offices for the Heroes Landing Community Collaborative.

What about other amenities?

Furnished apartments feature full kitchens with up-to-date appliances, a full bath, closet and storage areas, and private balconies. Other property amenities include an elevator, a community kitchen and conveniently located central laundry facility. Plus, Heroes Landing offers 10,000 square feet of open space featuring a tranquil courtyard and a community garden, a quiet sitting area with a reflection garden and a fire pit, a basketball half-court, an ample number of barbecue grills and picnic tables, plus a dog run and pet spa.

Does the building conform to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements? 

Yes, Heroes Landing is designed to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements as well as achieve a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Homes Silver certification. 

How do veteran residents pay for their housing?

All units have Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers with values of $1,602 for a one-bedroom and $2,017 for a two-bedroom unit. Residents pay a portion of the rent based on annually published HUD rents for income level and family size, paying an average of approximately $283.00 a month.

What are the supportive services to help veterans thrive, and why are they needed?

Santa Ana Veterans Village for Veterans
Jamboree’s Santa Ana Veterans Village will provide onsite services to veterans throughout OC through a network of veterans organizations

Heroes Landing is a place where veterans – not just the residents, but ALL veterans in the Orange County area – have immediate onsite access to a variety of wrap-around services. The combination of these services and housing that define Permanent Supportive Housing help residents rebuild their lives after struggling with homelessness and other issues that many veterans face upon returning home, where they have to re-acclimate into civilian home life.

Step Up on Second, an experienced provider in working with people who have serious mental health issues and those who have been chronically homeless, is the contracted service provider at Heroes Landing. Step Up operates more than 250 Permanent Supportive Housing units throughout Southern California.

The Heroes Landing Community Collaborative, Jamboree's innovative approach to wrap-around services, includes the VA Long Beach Healthcare System for mental health counseling and wellness services, Goodwill of Orange County’s Tierney Center for Veteran Services for employment services, Veterans Legal Institute for pro bono legal assistance, and Strength in Support for individual and family therapy, mentoring and onsite workshops. 

As a nonprofit, how does Jamboree fund and build such a large, well-supported community?

The $29.7 million project was financed with tax credits, loans, and government funding as well as generous contributions from our partners. Nine public and private entities funded this development, including the City of Santa Ana, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Union Bank provided $12.9 million in tax credit equity, a $23 million construction loan, and a $9.9 million permanent loan. Heroes Landing also received $1.5 million from the Orange County Community Foundation, $0.5 million from The Home Depot Foundation, and $2.9 million from the OC Health Care Agency.

How many homeless veterans are there in Orange County?

According to the 2015 U.S. Census, approximately 123,000 veterans live in Orange County, and in 2017, a survey of Orange County’s homeless population found that 12 percent of the homeless are veterans. Of those, about 400 are without shelter.

If you are a homeless veteran or a veteran at risk for homelessness and need assistance now, call (877) 4AID-VET or (877) 424-3838. If you need housing right now, call 211!

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