Leading the Affordable Housing Charge By Example

Anaheim, CA – Jamboree Housing Corporation, along with a crowd of nearly 100 supporters – including City of Anaheim officials – celebrated the grand opening of Monarch Pointe Apartment Homes, part of the revitalization of the Central Anaheim Neighborhood, under the Neighborhood Improvement Program adopted by the City of Anaheim.

“Today is a reality because of partnership,” explained Michael Massie, Housing Development Manager for Jamboree. “With significant political support, as well as dedicated financial partners, we are able to provide  working families with a safe, decent place to call home.”

Monarch Pointe does just that for 63 families who earn 30% to 60% of the area median income place in a community with excellent employment and educational opportunities. For example, a family of four, earning $46,500 (50% of the area median income), pays about $1,200/month in rent for their three-bedroom home. Incorporating the same high quality finishes and materials as market-rate communities, the 12 one-bedroom, 28 two-bedroom, and 23 three-bedroom garden-style apartments are designed around an interior courtyard and greenbelt area.

“Monarch Pointe exemplifies Jamboree’s philosophy of working in conjunction with local communities to fulfill their housing needs through design, finance and construction of high quality housing that is affordable to lower-income community members not served by the existing market,” noted Laura Archuleta, president of Jamboree. “In public circles, we speak about what should be done, often from different perspectives. However, this property demonstrates what can be done – even with a diversity of perspectives – to create an outcome we all agree is successful.”

Fueled by the City of Anaheim’s commitment to develop 1,200 affordable housing units in five years and Jamboree’s ability to secure highly sough-after 9% tax credits, Monarch Pointe went from concept to groundbreaking in less than one year – a process that can often take two to three years – and from groundbreaking to grand opening in 16 months. Anaheim is the only city in California to take advantage of funding from CA SB-211, a bill that expands redevelopment areas by adding ten years in tax increment revenue, as long as the tax increase from 20% to 30% is allocated to affordable housing for low- and very low-income families.

“We look at this community as a great example of affordable housing for our city,” stated Mayor Curt Pringle, City of Anaheim. “It provides a home that is comfortable for families and valuable to its neighborhood. With properties like Monarch Pointe, we are building a new future for our city.”

In 2006, the City of Anaheim created the Anaheim Affordable Housing Strategic Plan outlining steps and protocol to incorporate affordable housing into the City’s planning and development. The Plan presently includes 1,328 new affordable housing family rental housing units to be developed over the next four years, a number  that will increase to 1,571 according to Mayor Pringle. In addition, the City purchased 17 remnant parcels from the Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA) to recycle these properties back into use. Monarch Pointe is one of those 17 remnant parcels, and is one of three affordable housing properties awarded to Jamboree currently in development.

“Wouldn’t you be proud to live here or right next door? I would,” commented Lucy Dunn, president and CEO of the Orange County Business Council. “Monarch Pointe and properties like it help to build three core initiatives desperately needed in Orange County and throughout the state: infrastructure, workforce development and affordable housing. The last two are the lynch pin for success. Without high-quality affordable housing like Monarch Pointe, Orange County would be losing more and more of its middle class.”

Dunn underscored that Monarch Pointe’s receipt of funding through highly competitive 9% tax credits is an example of how other Orange County affordable housing developers can effectively compete for state funding. For example, through the Governor’s recent Prop 46 and 1C funding, Orange County received less than 2% of the monies, despite the fact that the county constitutes 8% of the state’s population. This disparity is something that Jamboree’s developments help to rectify.

In its commitment to build communities that provide opportunities and resources to residents that improve their quality of life, Jamboree’s Housing with HEART (Helping, Educate, Activate and Respond Together) offers free onsite resident services and programs tailored to meet the needs of residents and their families. These programs include activities such as homework assistance and tutoring for children and consumer credit counseling, ESL classes, financial literacy and pre-employment counseling for adults. In addition, an onsite program coordinator will assist residents in accessing local community services.

“Before Monarch Pointe, we lived in an ugly, dirty place with rats and cockroaches, where my daughter told me ‘Mommy, I don’t want to go back there,’” stated Myra Ramos, a current resident of Monarch Pointe. As a single mother of two, working full-time as a dental assistant, Ramos longed for a clean, nurturing community for her family. “My daughter now says she’s so happy to have a new home, and when my friends say how lucky I am to live here, I say, ‘Yes, I am.’”

Monarch Pointe Apartment Homes Fact Sheet is available upon request.

About Jamboree: Founded in 1990, Jamboree Housing Corporation is an award-winning, broad-based nonprofit housing development company that develops, acquires, renovates and manages permanently affordable rental and ownership housing for lower-income families and seniors throughout California. Housing with HEART is a 501 (c)(3) organization and a division of Jamboree Housing Corporation. A leading nonprofit developer, Jamboree’s portfolio includes the development of and/or ownership interest in more than 5,000 affordable rental homes in more than 46 California communities. Currently, Housing with HEART programs and services are offered at 34 JHC communities with designated staff at each location. More information is available on the company’s Web site at www.jamboreehousing.com.

About Anaheim: The City of Anaheim, founded in 1857, is one of the nation’s premier municipalities and is California’s 10th most populous city. Anaheim covers 50 square miles with more than 345,500 residents and more than 2,100 City employees. The municipal corporation’s annual budget is $1.3 billion. Anaheim supports a thriving business community with caompanies such as CKE Restaurants, Inc., L-3 Communications, Pacific Sunwear, and Disneyland Resort. Successful sports franchises including Angels Baseball, Anaheim Ducks, Anaheim Arsenal, and the USA Men’s National Volleyball team call Anaheim home. Anaheim also boasts world-class meeting and entertainment venues with the Anaheim Convention Center, the largest on the west coast, Honda Center, The Grove of Anaheim, Anaheim GardenWalk, and Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Annually, Anaheim welcomes millions of visitors to the city, truly making it where the world comes to live, work and play. For more information, please visit www.anaheim.net. 

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