Peoples’ Self-Help Housing (PSHH) will break ground Aug. 19 on the $18 million renovation project at the Villa la Esperanza Apartments. Upon completion, 83 units will have been beautifully restored and a new community room constructed in Old Town Goleta.
The project budget allocates $12 million for rehabilitation work and $6 million for new construction, design and engineering costs, along with other fees.
The public is invited to attend a groundbreaking ceremony and press conference announcing the major rehabilitation project at the Villa la Esperanza Apartments, 131 S. Kellogg Ave., Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2015, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Villa la Esperanza was originally constructed in 1971 under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s 236 Program and was owned and operated by the Goleta Valley Housing Committee (GVHC), a single-asset non-profit, prior to PSHH assuming management and ownership.
The Aug. 19 ceremony will recognize the original sponsors and members of the GVHC who were responsible for the construction of the complex in ’70s, as well as the final members of the committee at the time of the transfer in 2014.
The property currently consists of 75 units, including eight five-bedroom units that were underutilized and don’t meet current needs.
As part of the major rehabilitation project, PSHH will convert seven of the five-bedroom units to smaller apartments, increasing the total number of units to 83.
PSHH will also be constructing a new 5,000-square-foot, two-story community building that will include a Youth Learning Center, community room, community kitchen, laundry facilities, playground, barbecue area and two tot lots. It will additionally feature office space for a manager, assistant manager and resident services coordinator.
New energy and water saving features will also be installed, included synthetic turf, water conserving hardscape and landscaping, state-of-the-art “smart” water controls, new drip irrigation system, and replacement of external lighting with energy-saving LED fixtures.
Speakers at the groundbreaking will include Vito Gioiello, board member of Goleta Valley Housing Committee and Peoples’ Self-Help Housing, who will describe the 40-year history of the project and recognize the various churches and nonprofit organizations involved.
Original sponsors and members of Goleta Valley Housing Committee include: Christ Lutheran Church, Goleta Presbyterian Church, University United Methodist Church (previously Korea United Methodist Church), Cambridge Drive Community Church (previously First Baptist Church of Goleta), Catholic Charities (previously Catholic Welfare Bureau), Goleta Neighborhood Association and the final members of Goleta Valley Housing Committee at time of the transfer to PSHH.
PSHH President and CEO John Fowler will discuss the rehabilitation project and how the donation of the Villa la Esperanza property will be leveraged through creative financing and tax credits investments to generate funding opportunities for the development of more than 250 additional affordable housing units in the greater Santa Barbara area.
Other speakers will include a representative from the office of Santa Barbara County Supervisor Janet Wolf, Santa Barbara County Supervisor Salud Carbajal and City of Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte.
Partners include RRM Design Group Architects, Robert Andrew Fowler Landscape Architect and Stantec Inc. Civil Engineers, as well as tax credit equity investor Merritt Community Capital Corporation and construction and permanent lender CITI Community Capital.
The event is free and open to the public. Tours of the property and a light lunch by The Fig Grill of Goleta will be provided after the program.
The Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce will assist with the official ribbon cutting.
RSVPs are appreciated by Aug. 14 by calling Monica Scholl at 805.699.7220 or emailing communications@pshhc.org.
About Peoples’ Self-Help Housing
Founded in 1970, PSHH is an award winning non-profit organization that develops affordable housing and community facilities for low-income households and homeownership opportunities for working families and special needs populations, such as seniors, veterans, the disabled and the formerly homeless. With nearly 1,200 self-help homes completed and over 1,500 rental units developed, PSHH is the largest affordable housing developer on the Central Coast, with offices in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo. For more information on Peoples’ Self-Help Housing, visit www.pshhc.org, email info@pshhc.org or phone 805.781.3088.
– Angel Pacheco for Peoples’ Self-Help Housing.
Link to article: http://www.noozhawk.com/article/groundbreaking_set_for_remodel_of_goleta_affordable_housing_complex