LINC Housing Begins Construction on 31 Affordable Apartment Homes in Monterey Park

MONTEREY PARK, CA--(Marketwired - Apr 23, 2015) - Construction has started at LINC Housing's Mosaic Gardens at Monterey Park, a scattered-site affordable housing rental development that includes the renovation and upgrade of four four-plexes (16 units) and one nine-unit complex, as well as new construction of six apartments and a community center on land that was previously a parking lot.

"We know it's important for us to ensure that residents of all income levels are able to find quality housing," said Mayor Hans Liang, City of Monterey Park. "Partnering with LINC will allow us to upgrade several existing buildings while adding beautiful new construction right in the heart of our city, extending the affordability of 25 homes and adding six more to the community."

The construction at 236 S. Ramona will feature six new homes, a community center, public parking, and a corner plaza. The building is designed in a warm, contemporary character that complements the adjacent civic center structures. Sustainability features include design elements that promote use of natural light, shade and ventilation, thicker walls for added insulation, drought tolerant landscaping, and perimeter planting areas that promote storm water retention. The community center is centrally located to serve the residents of all 31 rental homes and includes a spacious room for gathering, a kitchen, computer lab, and classroom. LINC Cares, LINC's resident services department, will offer a variety of programs including educational, job readiness, nutrition, and physical exercise classes.

Renovations of the existing sites focus on the preservation, repair and protection of the buildings to extend their useful life, as well as improvements to energy efficiency, resulting in at least a 17 percent reduction in energy usage. Each apartment will receive high-efficiency lighting, new Energy-star rated appliances, as well as new wall heaters and HVAC units. The existing buildings are located at 321, 325, 341 and 371 E. Pomona, and 534 N. Chandler.

"One of LINC Housing's goals is to help cities meet the needs of their residents," said Rebecca Clark, LINC's president and CEO. "The scattered-site approach, mixing renovation and new construction, has required extra creativity, but in the end, we've reached the objective -- which is to support the city in their desire to serve their residents."

Early in the pre-development process, LINC Housing was chosen by Enterprise Community Partners to receive a $20,000 Enterprise Pre-Development Design Grant. The grant allowed LINC to engage three architectural firms to explore new ways to approach the design process for affordable housing. The firms were challenged to create design concepts that enhance the character of the neighborhood, meet the needs of large families, and are cutting edge in energy efficiency. The winning schematic design from Studio One Eleven is now being brought to life by Withee Malcolm Architects. The contractor is Ruiz Brothers Construction.

This infill development is in a pedestrian-friendly district within walking distance of amenities including Barnes Park and Community Center, an elementary school, City Hall, post office, library, shopping, dining, and transit stops linking several bus routes.

The $10.8 million renovation and new construction development is funded by the City of Monterey Park, a reservation of tax credits from the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, tax credit equity from Raymond James Tax Credit Funds, Inc., and a construction loan from Citibank. The development also received other pre-development funding from the California Endowment and JP Morgan Chase Foundation.

Mosaic Gardens at Monterey Park is for families earning between 30 and 60 percent of the area median income for Los Angeles County, as established by HUD. The one- to three-bedroom apartments will rent for $550 to $1,272, depending on household income. The properties were acquired in March 2015, and construction began in April. All work should be complete by May 2016. Those seeking information about available apartments can call (626) 872-6519 or email montereyparkmgr@usrgroup.com.

About LINC Housing Corporation
LINC Housing, one of California's most productive nonprofit developers of affordable housing, has helped create more than 7,500 homes in 73 communities throughout the state. The organization's properties are known for excellent design, outstanding management and life-enhancing services for its residents. LINC has more than 30 years of service to families, seniors, and local governments helping to create sustainable communities via new construction, acquisition and rehabilitation, and historic preservation.